Conquering the Samurai: (Yukimura X Emperor of the Night)

by Akasha1908

After a passionate and unexpected encounter, Yukimura becomes infatuated with the Emperor. Determined to make the elusive daemon his, Yukimura finds himself facing down one of the most powerful men in the Guild in order to save the one he loves most...

CHAPTER 1

It wasn't that Yukimura hadn't thought about apologizing to the Ikutachi. He just wasn't very good at such things. To be completely honest, he thought saying sorry now would be nothing more than a waste of time. Ikutachi was with Barbatos, and no amount of apologizing was going to change that.

But Tennyo, pretty much his only friend and pseudo-little sister, had insisted he apologize immediately. She and Ikutachi were good friends, and she'd been absolutely appalled when she heard what transpired between him and the Anima.

It was nearly three weeks later, and Yukimura was finally heading over to Master Akasha's mansion to settle the matter once and for all. Waste of time or not, he was tired of hearing Tennyo talk about it. Hopefully this would shut her up.

Yukimura had always found Ikutachi attractive. There was even a time when he was what others might call 'obsessed.' As it turned out, once he'd finally tasted the pleasures the Anima had to offer, his desire for him quickly faded. Still, during his time of 'momentary infatuation' he'd pretty much memorized Ikutachi's schedule; where he'd be and what time. So when he reached the small gazebo, he already knew the Anima would be there; sipping a cup of tea and quietly admiring the scenery.

"Good morning, Ikutachi."

The Anima turned at the sound of his name, going still for a moment and eyeing Yukimura suspiciously.

"Don't worry. I'm not here to attack you. I wanted just to… uh… apologize for my actions the other day."

"Apologize? You?"

Yukimura sighed in irritation at the Anima's disbelief. Apologies were certainly not his forte, but he could admit when he'd done something wrong, even when he felt it held no real value.

"Yeah, well, I was wrong." He replied, trying to sound as repentant as he could. "I can admit that. It was not my intent to hurt or frighten you. And that's the truth."

It was indeed the truth, and Yukimura hoped Ikutachi would realize that. If he didn't, oh well. Just so long as Tennyo knew he'd done as she'd asked and would finally shut up about it.

"Tennyo put you up to this, didn't she?" Ikutachi smiled knowingly, his tone changing from suspicious to amused.

Yukimura scratched his head, smiling guiltily. "Yeah, can't lie about that. You know how she is. But I really am telling the truth. I didn't mean to scare or hurt you."

"Well, thank you for the apology. And please accept mine in return. I should've known better than to confide in Tennyo about this." Ikutachi sighed. "She can be a bit insistent when it comes to these kinds of things."

"A bit?!" Yukimura said with a snort. "She's an annoying little chit is what she is."

Ikutachi laughed loudly, a delightful sound that made Yukimura's groin tighten ever so slightly. That was his cue to leave…

"Well that's all I had to say." Yukimura said with a quick bow. "I should head back."

"Thanks again." Ikutachi replied. "Unexpected as it was."

As Yukimura turned to leave, he paused, catching a shadow moving in his peripheral. He turned just in time to catch Barbatos' fist with his face.

Yukimura was used to being hit, and if it had been any other daemon, they would have been knocked out cold. But Yukimura Sanada was a warrior; tried and tested in battle. It would take a great deal more to bring him down.

It took less than half a second for Yukimura to respond. He ducked in time to miss Barbatos' follow-up left hook, responding with his own upper-cut to the chin. Yukimura could hear Ikutachi yelling for them to stop, but they were both too far gone. They held nothing back, each blow thrown with the intent to kill or cripple their opponent.

The problem with the battle, however, was that the two were equally matched. No matter how fast Yukimura's attack was, Barbatos was there to block him. Yukimura had heard stories of the Phantom's near impenetrable defense, but he'd never had the chance to test it. Seeing it in action now, Yukimura couldn't help but be impressed.

But any defense can be broken, and Yukimura knew that it was only a matter of time before he found Barbatos' weakness. When the moment came, Yukimura didn't hesitate. But the second before his fist made contact, he was knocked to the ground. Yukimura threw the unknown assailant off of him, rolling to his feet and taking a defensive stance. He was tired and bloody, but if he now faced two opponents, he was determined to fight to the bitter end.

He hesitated when he realized it was Saizo crouched in front of him, his hands held up in surrender.

"Saizo, what the fuck?! Get out of my way!"

"Can't do that, bro. Not until you calm down."

"I said get out of my…!" Yukimura stopped mid-sentence when he realized several daemons had gathered to watch the fight.

Goemon and Sasuke were holding Barbatos back, his red eyes still blazing with rage. Ikutachi stood in front of him, trying to calm him down, but the Phantom's eyes were locked on Yukimura.

"Dude, you need to leave." Saizo said, making sure to stay between him and Barbatos.

"Please!" Ikutachi said, turning towards Yukimura. "You have to go; otherwise, I'll never be able to calm him down!"

Yukimura straightened, keeping Barbatos in his visual range. He spit the blood from his mouth, resisting the urge to clutch his ribs. If it had not been for the pleading look on Ikutachi's face, Yukimura might not have left... Without a word to anyone, he turned and made his way back up the hill.

He heard Saizo call after him, asking if he needed help getting home. He ignored it, wondering why the daemon would ask such a ridiculous question. He got his answer when he arrived back at Master Daze's mansion and realized he was dripping blood down the hall.

Damn that demon and his fucking claws!

He stumbled for a moment, the true force of his pain hitting him as his anger began to dissipate. Cursing his own weakness, he reached out for the wall, hoping he could make it back to his room without being seen. He'd figure out what to do about the trail of blood later.

He turned the corner, breathing a sigh of relief when his room came into view. It was immediately followed by a groan when he saw Tennyo skipping down the opposite end of the hall. She caught sight of him, her smile quickly fading from her lips.

"Bloody hell. Yuki! What happened to you?!" She rushed over, sliding underneath his arm for support. She sucked her teeth in irritation. "Shoot, you're bleeding all over the place!"

"Good." He bit out. "I hope it ruins your dress since you're the reason this happened."

"Me? What did I do?!"

"I went to apologize to Ikutachi." He replied. "Barbatos was there."

"I told you to apologize." She admitted. "But it's not my fault you were stupid enough to do it in front of the demon."

"I didn't. The bastard came out of nowhere."

"Well, I hope he doesn't look worse than you. If so, he's probably dead."

Tennyo shifted her weight, trying to hold him up while she opened the door. "Geez, Yuki, help me out here! You're too heavy for me to carry, you know?!"

"I didn't ask for your help!" He shot back.

"I'll take that as a thank you." She replied bitterly.

They hobbled through the door and into the bathroom. Tennyo used her foot to drop the toilet seat cover, helping ease Yukimura down onto it.

"Alright," She said. "Let's take a look at the damage."

She pulled off his shirt, letting out a tiny gasp when she saw how bad it was.

"I need to go get help." She whispered, turning to leave.

"No." He grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "No one else."

"Now's not the time for your ego, Yuki! You're a mess! I don't even know where to begin!"

"It's fine." He replied calmly. "I'll help you. Look under the sink. There's a box that should have everything we need."

"Yuki, you're going to need more than a few band aids! There are cuts here that need stitches! Please, let me get help."

"For the love of God, Tennyo, just get the damn box! If you don't have the stomach for it, I'll do it myself."

She frowned, biting her lip. Finally, she rolled up her sleeves, dropping to her knees and pulling the cabinet doors open.

It took over an hour, but the two of them managed to get him cleaned and bandaged. Yukimura had done most of the stitches himself. Although Tennyo could handle the sight of blood like a champ, sticking a needle through someone's flesh was where she drew the line.

"I can't believe this." She muttered. "And on a night like this."

"What's happening tonight?" Yukimura asked, slowly standing to his feet.

"The dinner, idiot. The one Master Daze has been planning for the past 3 months."

Yukimura searched his memory, trying to remember if he'd heard anything about a dinner, but nothing came to mind.

"You've got to be kidding me, Yuki! Master Daze reminded you about it like twenty times! He even set a place of honor for you at the head table. He's going to be pissed when he gets a look at you."

Yukimura said nothing, just gave her a look that meant he could care less about this so called 'place of honor.'

"You are truly hopeless. Come on, I'll help you to your bed. You'll only have a few hours to rest before Loom comes down to dress you."

"Dress me?"

"Yes." She replied, rolling her eyes. "Master had a yukata specially made for you."

"Specially made?"

"Hopeless." She repeated. "We are hosting one of the greatest ghost agents ever known. He and his lead Bell are coming to stay with us for a few weeks. Apparently this guy and Master Daze go way back. Like, elementary school or something."

"So for this I have to get dressed up?"

"Yes." She replied, tucking him into the sheets.

"And do what?"

"Look pretty, of course. Although I'm not sure how you'll manage it with that gaping cut over your eye."

"Whatever." Yukimura replied, closing his eyes. "I was never 'pretty' to begin with."

She sighed and Yukimura hoped it was a sign she was about to leave.

"Just make sure you're ready when Loom comes down. Understand?"

He grunted in response, trying to settle into a comfortable position.

"I mean it, Yuki. Don't be late."

He heard the door open. "Thanks." He muttered, loud enough for her to hear him.

"You're welcome." She muttered, softly closing the door behind her.

CHAPTER 2

True to Tennyo's word, Loom showed up; a large black box in hand. When she saw the state Yukimura was in, she nearly had a heart attack.

"You look like someone's punching bag!" She cried. "How on earth am I supposed to make you look good?!"

"Well," He replied, being facetious. "Perhaps they'll like me for my personality."

Loom rolled her eyes, her frown now permanently affixed to her face. "Looks like your wounds opened while you were sleeping. Whoever stitched you up did a horrible job."

"Yeah, well I tried. It was kind of hard to get the one that wraps around."

"You did this?" She asked, her jaw dropping. "By yourself?"

"Of course. I've always tended my own injuries. I suppose Tennyo helped a bit, but she refused to help with the stitches."

"Wow, ok. Apparently you are the bad ass everyone says you are.

Yukimura chuckled. "You doubted me?"

Loom rolled her eyes again. "And as arrogant as they say. Go wash up. I'll re-stitch you and then we can figure out how to make you look somewhat presentable."

Yukimura sat completely still while Loom stitched him up good and tight. It had been painful as all hell, but damned if they weren't the most perfect stiches he'd ever seen. The woman was needle wielding ninja!

Once he was finally dressed, he walked down to the formal dining room, trying not to think about the excoriating pain he was in. Loom had offered to talk to Little Witch about preparing some sort of tonic to ease his pain, but Yukimura knew better than to accept anything that crazy daemon made.

Despite feeling like he'd been kicked by a bull, Yukimura couldn't deny how good he looked. Well, minus the cut above his eye, and the bruise darkening on his cheek. Still, Loom had managed to cover up most his bandages. The black yukata he wore was made of the finest fabric his master could find. It was light yet durable, and it felt amazing against his skin.

Master Daze greeted him at the door, frowning when he got a look at him. "I'd ask what happened, but I have a feeling I don't want to know. Tell me, will the guild be fining me for whatever it is you've done?"

"Not this time, Master." Yukimura answered, unable to stop himself from smiling.

Yukimura liked his master. He was a good man, and he took care of his daemons. But amused as he was, he didn't enjoy causing him trouble.

"Good to know." Master Daze said, clapping Yukimura on the shoulder.

"Ow!"

"Oh, sorry! Is it that bad? Perhaps I should…"

"No, I'm fine, Master. Don't trouble yourself over me. Shall we go in?"

"Yes, of course." He replied, opening the doors. "Remember, Yukimura, you must be on your best behavior. These are honored guest, so let's treat them as such."

"As you wish, Master." Yukimura replied.

For his master, Yukimura would definitely try to behave. Most of the people in the room he knew anyway, so it shouldn't be too hard to stay out of trouble. As he walked through the crowd, he kept hearing whispers about the lead daemon the visiting ghost agent had brought.

It was a Bell, but male or female, Yukimura didn't know. Either way, he or she was probably a raging bitch. Every encounter he'd ever had with a Bell ended badly, which was why he avoided them like the plague.

Bells were the elite daemons. Or at least they thought so. Most ghost agents preferred not to deal with them. They are particularly difficult to summon, and even more difficult to control. In almost all cases, the Master soon becomes the servant…

Of course none of this matter to Yukimura. He was simply there to make an appearance, have a few drinks, and hopefully find a willing daemon or human to bed. He didn't really know what he was in the mood for until a dark haired female caught his attention.

She was standing by the doorway, a smile forming on her full lips. Her dress hugged her in all the right places, displaying each and every one of her luscious curves. Every man in the room was staring at her, but she had her attention focused squarely on him. And based on the 'come hither' look she was throwing his way, Yukimura had just found his partner for the night.

He walked toward her, but before he could cross to the other side of the room, the so-called "honored guests" arrived. The ghost agent, announced as Master Insa greeted the room, then made his way straight for Master Daze, shaking hands and hugging him briskly.

Yukimura tried to fight through the crowd towards the mystery woman, but it was like every person he bumped into managed to hit some wounded area of his body. He almost decided to forget about her altogether. After all, his body wasn't exactly in the condition for sex. But then he thought about her full lips and decided he could settle for a blow job instead.

He was almost at her side when a hush fell over the room. He cursed inwardly. At this rate he'd never get to her! Yukimura stopped at the door behind two particularly animated Phantoms. He couldn't figure out why they were so bloody excited. At least until he caught sight of the daemon who'd walked in. Just like that, all thoughts of the woman evaporated from his mind.

The Bell was all lithe grace as he glided through the crowd. He was slender, but well-formed; the toned muscles of his back showing through his perfectly tailored jacket. His hips were narrow and his legs gloriously long. Yukimura imagined wrapping them around his waist while he drove into him relentlessly. Just the thought was making him hard.

He wasn't the only one in the room enraptured by the Bell. Men and women were staring at him with looks of pure, unadulterated lust. Yukimura wondered if the male knew what kind of effect he was having on the atmosphere of the room. Then he remembered that the daemon was a Bell. Of course he knew…

Unlike the others, desperate for the Divina Bell's attention, Yukimura hung back, following him through the crowd, but keeping his distance. He was trying to get a good look at the daemon's face. If it was as beautiful as his backside, then Yukimura had every intention of bedding him that night. Just when he was about to get his first look up close, he ran dead smack into Tennyo.

"Don't even think about it." She said, looking up at him with knowing eyes.

"Think about what?"

"Don't play dumb, Yuki. You know exactly what I'm talking about. He," she continued, pointing in the Bell's direction, "is out of your league. Like, in a completely different dimension."

"Please!" Yukimura snorted. "He's a Bell, not God. You speak as though I have no experience dealing with his kind."

"Oh, honey." She replied, her tone full of amusement and pity. "You're going to get yourself in way over your head with this one. Besides, I don't think he swings that way."

Yukimura laughed. "Oh, trust me, he does."

"Then tell that to the female he's currently seducing."

Yukimura looked over at the Bell. He was whispering in the ear of the very same woman Yukimura had intended to go after. Her head obscured most of his face, but for a half a second, he could've sworn the Bell looked directly at him.

"You see." Tennyo whispered. "Completely straight."

"I don't think so, little sister." Yukimura replied, a smile spreading across his face. "Believe you me; that Bell has never felt the warmth of a woman. In fact, I'd bet my life he's never seen what's between a woman's thighs."

"Seriously," Tennyo asked with a frown. "How can you tell?"

"I just can." Yukimura replied. "The way he moves; his gestures. There is a certain way a man seduces another man, and from everything I've seen since the moment he walked into this room; he is a master of the craft."

"A master of seduction, huh? More so than your precious Ikutachi?"

"That remains to be seen." He replied with a wink.

CHAPTER 3

The dinner gong was rung, and all the guests made their way to the perfectly arranged tables. Master Daze, God bless his soul, had ensured Yukimura a spot at the head table. And as luck would have it, Yukimura ended up sitting directly across the table from who he'd just learned was the Emperor of the Night.

The Emperor sat next to his master, all grace and beauty. From the way he spoke, to the way he held the fork delicately in his hand; it was scripted perfection. The Bell was utterly enchanting, his very aura outshining every human and daemon within a hundred feet. Yukimura couldn't stop staring at him, wondering what the Emperor would look like beneath him, his body writhing against his in unbridled ecstasy.

Would he still look perfect then?

Yukimura had seen a lot of attractive men in his life. Women, too. But there was something about the male in front of him. Something incredibly beautiful, yet extremely dangerous… It was a good thing Yukimura was accustomed to danger, because the thought of conquering the seemingly perfect Bell made his loins ache with desire.

He shifted in his seat for the hundredth time, trying to keep his dick from popping out of his yukata. Unfortunately, it was becoming more and more difficult to hide. This rarely happened to Yukimura. In fact, the last male who'd been able to make him hard just from one glance had been Ikutachi. But even then, Yukimura had been able to bring his body's lustful response back under control.

But this Emperor! The way he kept glancing at Yukimura, his eyes hooded and full of unspoken invitations. It was slow torture! Yukimura took a deep breath, turning to Master Daze.

"Master, please excuse me for a moment."

"What's wrong?" Master Daze asked, his voice heavy with concern. "Should I call for the doctor?"

"No, it's nothing like that." Yukimura replied assuredly. "My muscles are starting to stiffen; I just need a moment to stretch them is all. I'll return shortly."

It wasn't exactly a lie. One of his muscles was indeed stiff. And if he didn't head to his room and take care of his raging hard on, he was going to be in a world of trouble later.

"Alright," Master Daze replied, "but don't push yourself. If you need to retire for the evening, I'll understand."

"Thank you, Master, but that shouldn't be necessary."

As carefully as he could, Yukimura rose from his seat. He bowed to the table and quickly made his way out of the dining room. His dick was throbbing painfully, so walking normally was out of the question. He just hoped he didn't run into anyone on the way.

Yukimura was so focused on getting to his room; he almost didn't catch the faint sound of footsteps behind him. He turned, searching the shadows of the corridor.

"Show yourself." He called out, his voice deep and commanding.

Yukimura stood there for a moment, waiting to see if anyone would step from the shadows. When no one did, he continued on. And so did whoever it was following him… A fool, Yukimura thought. He was not the kind of man you snuck up on in a dark corridor. He would kill first and ask questions later.

Yukimura kept his pace steady and unrushed. He didn't want to give his pursuer any sign that he knew he or she was still following. He would wait until he reached the last turn to his bedroom, then get the drop on whoever it was.

It all happened so fast, that if you asked Yukimura exactly how he ended up pinned against the wall; his mouth covered and a knife at his throat, he'd be at a loss for words.

His attacker made no attempt to hide his identity, and, minus the fact there was a knife to his throat, Yukimura was pleasantly surprised.

The Emperor stood before him, his haunting ice blue eyes locked with his. He said nothing; made no move to drop the knife in his hand. Yukimura glanced down at the weapon in the Bell's hand, relieved to find it was nothing more than a butter knife he'd probably taken from the dining room.

Yukimura looked back up at Emperor. There was a small smile playing on the Bell's pale pink lips. He lowered the knife and removed his hand from Yukimura's mouth.

"If it's my attention you want," Yukimura said cautiously, "there's no need to resort to such lengths. I'd be more than happy to…"

The Emperor cut him off; pressing his lips to Yukimura's mouth in a most unexpected kiss. When he finally pulled back, Yukimura was gasping for air. He tried to speak, but once again the Bell cut him off with his passionate, unrestrained kisses.

As the Emperor's hand tugged at the strap of his yukata, Yukimura decided he didn't care why this was happening. If the Bell wanted him, then he would be more than happy to oblige.

Yukimura felt the strap loosen and drop to the floor. The Emperor yanked it open, pausing a moment when he saw the bandages. Yukimura looked down, noticing that one of the bandages was spotted with blood. The Bell reached out, his fingers gently caressing the soiled cloth.

"It's nothing." Yukimura said, his voice rough with lust. "Just a scratch."

The Emperor's eyes narrowed, his gaze searching Yukimura's face as he dug his fingers into the wound. Yukimura hissed in pain, snatching the Bell's hand away.

"What the fuck?!"

The Emperor made no reply, pulling his hand from Yukimura's grasp. Using both hands, the Bell slid the yukata off of Yukimura's shoulders, his fingers tracing all of his visible scars; new and old.

Afraid of what the Emperor might do next, Yukimura tried to grab his wrist. The Bell slapped his hand away, giving him a look that said, "Try that again, and I'll break your hand."

Slowly, the Emperor's hand made its way to Yukimura's cock, wrapping around the semi-hard shaft. He stroked it up and down, almost as he was trying to judge its length and thickness. The Emperor smiled as he watched Yukimura grow fully hard in his hand.

"Do you like what you see, Bell?" Yukimura bit out through gritted teeth.

Instead of speaking, the Emperor lowered himself to the ground, kneeling before him. Yukimura sucked in a breath, knowing exactly what was going to happen, but unable to believe it. The Bell wrapped his beautiful lips around Yukimura's cock, slowly taking him into his mouth.

Yukimura shuddered, the slick heat of the Emperor's mouth beyond incredible. It was rare to find a partner willing to give head, and usually when he or she could be convinced, it was obvious they weren't enjoying it. But not the Emperor... It was clear he wanted this as much as Yukimura did. He took his time, his soft lips moving effortlessly up and down his length while his hand stroked in perfect unison.

With each stroke, the Emperor took Yukimura further into his mouth. Soon, the tip of Yukimura's cock was hitting the back of his throat, the wet suction of the Bell's mouth bringing him closer and closer to release.

Yukimura could feel his muscles tighten, his orgasm fast approaching. The Emperor must have sensed it. Sucking harder. Stroking faster. Yukimura's panting breaths echoed through the corridor along with the deliciously sweet sucking sound the Emperor was making. Yukimura wrapped his hands around the back of the Bell's head, urging him to take him deeper. The Emperor did not fight his hold; in fact, it seemed to excite the Bell even more.

"I'm… cuming…!" Yukimura cried, expecting the Bell to pull back.

He didn't…

The Emperor allowed Yukimura to take control in the last few moments, letting him fuck the back of his throat. Yukimura's orgasm was so explosive; he could barely stay on his feet. He held the Bell's head still, spraying his hot cum all down the Emperor's throat.

As the last tremors rolled through Yukimura's body, the Emperor continued to suck, draining every last drop from his cock. Then, with a crude popping sound, the Emperor pulled free. Removing a handkerchief from his pocket, he wiped his mouth and rose to his feet.

Yukimura was still trying to stay upright, his vision blurred from the force of his climax. "That… was…" He paused, trying to think of a word that could describe how unbelievably amazing it actually was. "God damn, you're good at that." He finished, unable to come up with anything.

The Emperor stepped forward, his eyes searching Yukimura's face. He pressed his lips to Yukimura's in a soft gentle kiss. When he pulled away, there was a ghost of a smile lingering on his lips. He turned to leave, but Yukimura grabbed his arm.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

The Bell shrugged out of his hold. Ignoring his question, he continued down the hall and disappeared around the corner.

Yukimura tried to follow, but his legs were too weak to walk. He slid down the wall, dropping onto the floor. Already he wanted to see the Bell again, but Yukimura needed a minute if he was going to make it back to dinner.

It was nearly 15 minutes later before Yukimura was able to stand and walk. He made it back to the dining room just as desert was being served. Master Daze greeted him with a troubled smile.

"You were gone for so long, I was beginning to worry."

"Sorry about that, Master. I seemed to have overestimated my recovery capabilities." Yukimura said the words, glancing over at the Emperor.

The Bell didn't even acknowledge Yukimura's return to the table. He was enjoying his dessert and having a very quiet, very intense conversation with Master Insa.

"Are you still hungry?" Master Daze asked Yukimura. "You didn't eat much, but the servers took your plate before I had the chance to stop them. Shall I have them bring you something else?"

"No, I don't have much of an appetite at the moment."

"I figured as much." Master Daze replied with a worried frown. "Once dinner is over, you'll retire straight to your room, do you understand?"

"As you wish, Master." Yukimura answered reluctantly.

The Emperor looked up then; his gaze moving from Master Daze to Yukimura and back again. His face remained expressionless, but Yukimura caught a flash of jealousy in his eyes.

Once dessert was complete, everyone started mingling once more. Master Daze had prepared an open bar, fully stocked with premiums wines and liquors. Needless to say, it was going to be a long night.

Yukimura had given his word to Master Daze that he would retire for the evening, but first he had an invitation to extend to a certain Emperor. Just because Yukimura had to return to his room, didn't mean he had to go alone.

He quietly walked up behind the Bell. The Emperor was currently speaking to the female Yukimura had been eyeing earlier. It pissed him off to see the Bell flirt so shamelessly with someone else after what they'd just done. His anger made him reckless, so he wasn't as discreet as he should have been.

Yukimura slid his hand across the Bell's lowered back, gently sweeping his palm over the slight curve of his bottom and cupping it gently.

With the same speed he'd used in the hallway, the Emperor spun out of his grasp, balling up his fist and striking Yukimura straight into the gash across his side.

"How dare you?!" The Emperor exclaimed, his tone shocked and appalled.

Yukimura would've liked to respond, but he was currently bent over in pain, clutching his side. He could feel the warmth of fresh blood seeping through his yukata. He dropped to one knee, unable to keep his balance any longer.

"Yukimura!" Master Daze exclaimed. "What is the matter with you?! I can't believe you would show such blatant disrespect to our guest!"

Yukimura tried to answer, but it hurt too much to breathe let alone speak. He swayed dangerously, the dark claws of unconsciousness trying to take hold.

Why was he losing so much blood?!

His master was yelling something at him, and Yukimura could see that Master Insa was whispering something to his Bell daemon. By the way he was gently rubbing the Emperor's back, Yukimura assumed he was trying to comfort him. The Emperor caught him staring, and Yukimura could have sworn he saw the corner of his mouth turn up in a small satisfied smile.

Yukimura cursed loudly, placing his blood covered hand on the floor for support. Master Daze abruptly stopped reprimanding, catching sight of the bright red fluid.

"Jesus Christ, Yukimura! Why didn't you say something?!" Master Daze turned, barking out orders for someone to fetch the doctor immediately.

Yukimura desperately tried to fight the darkness creeping ever closer. He seriously could not figure out why he was losing so much blood!

Suddenly Tennyo was at his side, bracing his body against her own. "I got you." She whispered. "But you owe me two dresses now."

Yukimura laughed, but it sounded more like a grunt than anything else. He tried to apologize, but staying conscious was now impossible. Too much pain. So much blood. The last thing he remembered was his face hitting the cold hard floor.

CHAPTER 4

Yukimura woke up with a start. He was in his bed, the warmth of his blankets surrounding him. He was groggy, his mind fuzzy and unfocused. He tried to sit up, but the sharp pain in his side put him flat on his back once more.

It was still dark outside, but the moon shown through the open window. He inhaled as deeply as he could, breathing through his pain as he sat up in the bed. The covers slid to his waist, exposing his bare chest to the cool air. It felt good against his fevered skin.

Yukimura carefully swung his feet to the floor, holding onto the night stand for support. He'd been drugged; something he did not appreciate. It may have dulled his pain, but it also dulled his senses. Slowly he made his way to the bathroom. He cut the light on, squinting at the brightness.

He examined himself in the mirror before unwinding the fresh bandage wrapped around his torso. The dried blood made the cloth stick to the stitches, and he winced in pain. He moved closer to the mirror, looking carefully at the wound. He quickly realized why there had been so much blood. There was a small puncture wound, almost directly on top of the gash Barbatos had given him earlier that day.

Yukimura growled angrily. That Bastard! He must have had something in his hand when he struck him. Yukimura re-bandaged the wound, trying to figure out how he was going to deal with the Bell. The Emperor was playing a deadly game, and if he thought that beautiful face of his was going to save him, he was in for a rude awakening.

Yukimura made his way back to the bed, but before he could climb in, there was a knock at his door. He looked over at the clock on the nightstand, noting it was almost 2:30 in the morning. He was tempted to ignore it, but the knock came again, followed by the turning of the knob.

He made it to the door, just as it opened. Standing in the doorway was the Emperor. He was dressed in a dark blue robe, his smooth bare chest peaking through the top. Yukimura instinctively tried to shut the door, but the Bell splayed his hand across the wood, forcing it back open.

Damn the Bell for being so unnaturally strong!

"What do you want?" Yukimura asked, trying to keep his rage in check.

As Master Daze's lead, Yukimura had faced countless Bells. Beaten each one, too. But right now, in his current condition, the Emperor would have the advantage.

The arrogant Bell said nothing; he merely stepped into the room uninvited. Yukimura sighed in frustrated anger.

"Sure, come on in." Yukimura said sarcastically, still holding the door open. "Look," he continued, trying to sound calm. "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but say whatever it is you came here to say, then get out. Otherwise, I can't guarantee your safety should you choose to stay."

The Bell cocked his head to the side, regarding Yukimura with mild amusement. He made no moves to speak or to leave. Instead, he untied his robe, shrugging it off his shoulders and letting it dropped to the floor.

God damn it to hell!

The Emperor was completely naked beneath his robe, his pale skin glowing in the moonlight. In that instant, all the blood drained from Yukimura's head and rushed straight to his cock.

Yukimura closed the door and turned the lock...

This Bell was dangerous. He knew the power he had, and he was not afraid to use it. The Emperor walked towards Yukimura without a hint of shyness or embarrassment. He took Yukimura's hand in his, silently leading him towards the bed. He gestured for Yukimura to lie down, then climbed atop him, careful to avoid his wounds. Yukimura tried to speak, but the Emperor silenced him with one look.

"There is no need to speak, Divina." The Bell said, leaning forward and placing a kiss on Yukimura's forehead. "I will take care of everything from here."

CHAPTER 5

Yukimura lay in bed, his body still in pain despite days of resting. He was exhausted; sleep deprivation beginning to take its toll. Not only that, but many of his wounds weren't healing properly; no doubt a result of them re-opening during his "nightly activities."

His current state could only be blamed on one person; a certain Bell with a pension for pain. Not that Yukimura was complaining. On the contrary, he wanted more of what the Emperor was so intent upon giving.

"For the love of…! Is this a bite mark?!" Tennyo sucked her teeth in irritation as she cleaned and bandaged what was indeed a bite mark on Yukimura's left shoulder. "The moment I patch you up, you go and let him do this to you! Are you two even having sex, or are you just beating the hell out of each other?!"

Yukimura grunted, sitting up in the bed. "I couldn't tell you. We're both so far gone once it starts, it's hard to say. I swear, Tennyo, I can barely distinguish the pleasure from the pain."

Her eyes grew wide for a moment. "And you enjoy this?"

Yukimura shrugged, immediately wincing in pain at the simple movement. "He makes it difficult not to enjoy. But now that you mention it, there are times when…"

He hesitated, not sure whether he should divulge the details of his sexual encounters with the Emperor. Tennyo was no stranger to the various arts of love-making, but even she would find some of the Bell's tastes difficult to understand.

"When?" Tennyo prompted.

"It's difficult to explain." He replied, rubbing his tired eyes. "The only thing I know for certain is that I can't get enough."

"Of the pain or of him?"

"Both maybe." He answered, his brain too muddled to discern between the two.

Tennyo took his hand in hers. "Yuki, you have to stop this. Your body needs to rest if it's ever going to heal."

Yukimura's head fell back against the head board as he squeezed his eyes shut. His mind was shrouded by a cloud of fog; every ounce of his energy and strength wrung completely dry. The Emperor was insatiable, refusing to show any mercy during their nights of passion. And though Yukimura was loathed to admit it, he was having a difficult time keeping up with his new lover.

At full strength, there was no doubt he could bring the beautiful Emperor to heel, but he wasn't at his full strength, and based off their most recent encounter, the Bell was determined to keep him bed-ridden.

"Don't worry about me." Yukimura replied squeezing her hand reassuringly. "I'll be fine."

"Yes, you keep saying that, yet somehow I find you worse every morning! Surely this Bell can keep his libido under control long enough to let you heal! I mean, you can't even get from your bed to the bathroom without help!"

"I know, but it's not that simple. He's impossible to refuse."

Tennyo rolled her eyes. "No, it's perfectly simple. You're just a bull-headed idiot who can't seem to think with the right head!" She cupped his cheek. "I'm seriously worried about you, Yuki, and so is everyone else. You've never been down longer than a couple of days. Master is starting to freak out! He's already sent for Professor Yata."

"He what? Please tell me you're joking."

"I wish I was. I overheard Master Daze on the phone with him last night. You may have been able to convince that other doctor you're fine, but I can tell you right now, there's no way in hell the Professor will be so easily fooled."

"Damn it." Yukimura muttered, rubbing his scruffy chin.

"Damn it is right! You need to tell your boyfriend to keep his dick in his pants for the time being."

"Yeah, I'll try."

"You better do more than try, Yuki. I'm not covering for you anymore. Just tell the Emperor he's going to have to wait until you're better. I'm sure he'll understand."

"Fine. You win."

"Thank you." She replied, a satisfied smile on her face. "See how easy that was?"

Yukimura made no reply. Tennyo was already riled up. If he continued to argue, she'd never shut up. She fussed over him a bit more, making sure he was settled comfortably in his bed.

"Are you hungry?" Tennyo asked. "I can make you a snack if you'd like."

"No, I think I'll just try and sleep.

"Good idea. I'll come check on you in a few hours."

"Thanks."

Tennyo made her way to the door, but paused before leaving. "Yuki?"

"Mhm."

"Promise me you'll be careful with this Bell. Something about him seems… off to me. He has you acting strangely. Not at all like yourself."

"And how am I acting?" Yukimura asked, a bit more defensively that he would've liked.

"Liked you're obsessed."

"You said the same about Ikutachi."

"I know, but this is different. The look in your eyes when you speak of the Emperor, it… kind of scares me."

"Don't be ridiculous, Tennyo. There is absolutely nothing to worry about."

"Perhaps, but just tell me you'll be careful. Please, I need to hear you say it."

"I will be careful. You have my word."

"Thank you." She replied, her tone noticeably lighter. "Alright then, get some rest. I'll see you in a few hours."

CHAPTER 6

Four days later…

According to Tennyo, Yukimura had been placed in an induced sleep for nearly 4 days. It had been Professor Yata's idea, and apparently the most reasonable solution to Yukimura's alleged insomnia. The worst part about the whole situation was that Yukimura had no idea it was happening. One minute he was being examined by the Professor, and the next he was waking up 4 days later.

"Are you angry at me?" Tennyo asked nervously, sitting down on the bed beside him. "I know I should have told you, but you never would've agreed to it, especially since you hate being medicated."

Her hands shook as she started to remove his bandages. Yukimura could tell she felt terrible for her role in everything, so he decided not to tease her.

"I should be, but I'm not. I know you'd only do what's best for me." His eyes narrowed, but his tone held a hint of playfulness. "But if you ever do that again, I'll break that pretty little neck of yours."

She laughed, relief showing on her face. "Then I suppose it's a good thing Professor Yata left this morning."

"Yep. Smart man."

"Well, enough of that. How are you feeling?" Tennyo asked, removing the last of his bandages.

Apparently, she'd cleaned and redressed his wounds while he slept, rarely leaving his side.

"Other than the fact that I could eat a horse right now, I feel great."

"Be patient, your breakfast is on the way. I even made sure to request all your favorites."

Yukimura smiled, wondering how someone like him had managed to find a friend like Tennyo.

He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "You know, there are nurses who can do this. Surely it doesn't have to be you."

She swatted his hand out of the way. "Yes, I know. But someone had to make sure the Emperor kept his dirty little paws off you."

He chuckled softly. "Clearly you were successful."

"Actually, I didn't have to do anything. He never stopped by." Her eyes flitted to his face; trying to gage his reaction without being too obvious.

"Not even once?"

"Nope." She replied. "In fact, I haven't seen much of him around the house either. To be honest, I'm kind of glad he didn't come by. I'm not entirely sure I could have fended him off."

Disappointment... It settled heavily in the center of Yukimura's chest. He frowned when he recognized the feeling for what it was. He wasn't exactly sure what his relationship with the Emperor was, or if it could even be called a relationship, but it certainly wasn't serious enough for him to be upset over. After all, the Bell didn't have to visit him.

"Maybe he realized you needed rest and stayed away." Tennyo offered, trying to sound optimistic.

Yukimura shrugged his shoulders, trying to pretend as if he wasn't bothered. "Whatever his reasons are, they mean nothing to me."

"Sure." Tennyo said, her voice laced with muted sarcasm.

Yukimura decided not to respond. Any efforts to defend his statement would just prove how big of a lie it was.

"It's amazing what a bit of rest can do, huh?" She smiled smugly; closely examining the particularly vicious gash that wrapped from his side to the middle of his back "Incredible. Even this one is healed. It left a nasty scar, but you have so many others, I don't think it will make much difference." She punched him playfully on the shoulder. "I almost forgot how fast you heal."

"Me too." He muttered.

When the food came in, Yukimura practically inhaled it. Tennyo was smart enough to send for another helping, which Yukimura proceeded to devour just as quickly as the first.

"It's good to see your appetite is back. You were being to look a bit thin.

Yukimura snorted. "I'll have to do something about that."

"I hope nothing foolish." Tennyo said, clearing the tray from his lap. "You've only just woken up. You need to take things easy for a while."

"Trust me. I have no intentions of doing anything that will put me back in this bed. Well, unless it involves… you know."

Tennyo rolled her eyes. "You're never going to learn." She ducked into the restroom, returning after a few minutes. "I've started a bath for you. Think you can make it on your own?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Look at you!" Tennyo exclaimed happily. "Up and moving all by yourself!"

"Oh, shut up." He replied, cutting her an evil look.

"Now, now. No need to get angry." She teased. "You can't blame me for being happy that you're finally feeling better." She winked at him; the smile still on her face as she left the room.

CHAPTER 7

Yukimura made his way towards the main garden in the back of the house. He'd been told by one of the maids that the Emperor could often be found there.

It didn't take long to find the Bell. He lay under the shade of a maple tree, sprawled across a large blanket. His arm was draped across his eyes and his chest was rising and falling in the slow rhythm of sleep. It would have been a lovely sight if not for the fact that the Emperor's head lay on the lap of the infamous Maeda Toshimasu.

Maeda sat with his back propped against the trunk of the tree, twirling a strand of the Emperor's hair around his finger. His eyes were closed as well, and there was a small satisfied smile hanging on his lips.

Yukimura could feel his anger building as his mind processed the scene before him. Never, in any of his encounters with the Bell, had they shared such an intimate moment. In fact, most of their run-ins ended with blood being drawn. Until now, Yukimura wasn't even sure if the Bell was capable of such casual intimacy.

His vision swam with rage, but he reminded himself that he could not kill Maeda; not without causing his master a great deal of trouble.

Lucky bastard…

Yukimura was suddenly thankful he didn't have his sword with him. He would have probably cleaved Maeda's head from his shoulders.

Walk away…

Turning his back was the hardest thing he'd ever done, but if Yukimura didn't leave, he was afraid of what he might do. His master be damned…

"Yukimura, is that you?"

Yukimura closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before turning to answer Maeda. "Yes, sorry to bother you. I didn't realize anyone else was here."

"You're not interrupting. It's good to see you out and about. I heard Barbatos roughed you up pretty badly."

Yukimura gritted his teeth, trying not to look at the Emperor who'd roused at the sound of their voices. "Yeah, there were a few… complications, but as you can see, I'm fine now."

"Good to hear!"

Both Maeda's words and expression were completely genuine. Unfortunately, it only made Yukimura want to kill him more. It didn't help that the Emperor was now sitting up, leaning sleepily against Maeda's shoulder.

"I think I'll go now." Yukimura said, trying to keep his voice calm and unconcerned. "Please excuse me."

As he walked away, Maeda shouted something after him, but Yukimura couldn't hear him over the sound of the blood rushing furiously in his ears. He made his way straight to the training grounds, ignoring the frightened looks of the other daemons as he made his way through the mansion. He needed to vent his rage, and there was no better way to do it than with a sword in his hand…

"Yukimura-sama!"

Yukimura turned at the sound of his name. Date Masamune was walking towards him, his sword in hand.

"I thought that was you. I heard you were… Whoa." Date stopped mid-sentence, taking a step back. "You okay, man? You look kind of pissed off."

"I'm fine." Yukimura bit out, tugging on his leather gauntlets. He pushed past Date, grabbing one of the training swords and testing its weight.

"Obviously." Date replied sarcastically. He followed after Yukimura, keeping a safe distance. "You need a sparring partner?"

Yukimura glanced back at his fellow Divina. "I suppose." He replied, recognizing the excitement in Date's one good eye. If the daemon was looking for a good fight, then Yukimura would be happy to oblige.

Date smiled broadly. "It's an honor to fight you, Yukimura-sama. As always."

"Yeah, whatever." He muttered, walking to the arena. "What are you doing here anyway? As far as I know, Master Daze hasn't acquired any new daemons."

"I'm here with my new master. She's visiting with yours."

"And who is your master now?"

"Akasha. I mean Master Akasha. Sorry, it's been a while since I've had a master. I'm still trying to get used to it again. Anyway, she came to test her new Divina attack against Master Daze's Phantom defense. I'm here as a backup."

"Backup?"

"Yeah, I'm still new, so I don't think she's willing to trust me just yet."

"I see." Yukimura replied, twirling the blade in his hand. "Well, Master Akasha is fair and just. You'll get your chance when she believes you're ready."

"I've no doubt."

"Alright then, enough talk." Yukimura said, taking a fighting stance. "Let's begin."

CHAPTER 8

"I think we made him angry." Maeda said with a frown.

"So." The Emperor replied, lying back down on Maeda's lap.

Maeda sighed, poking the Emperor's cheek. "Yukimura is not the kind of man you want to mess with, little brother. I fear this game you insist on playing will end badly."

"How so?" He asked, unable to hide his mild amusement.

"Yukimura is dangerous. Like a tiger leashed on a thin rope. And what you're doing is the equivalent of dangling a slab of raw meat in front of him. It's only a matter of time before that rope snaps and he devours you whole."

"You give the Divina entirely too much credit." The Emperor replied nonchalantly. "He can be broken easily enough."

"And you refuse to see the danger you're in." Maeda insisted. "I know Yukimura, little brother. Trained with him for the past couple of years. If you do manage to survive this game of yours, you will not come out unscathed."

The Emperor sat up again, unable to suppress his anger. "You think me weaker than him?! Some lowly Divina!"

"Have you forgotten that you're a Divina as well?!" Maeda shot back.

"You'd dare put me in same category as him?!"

"And me!" Maeda replied indignantly. "You do remember I'm Divina as well, right?"

"You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

"I'm a Bell, Maeda. I should think the difference between us is obvious."

Maeda rolled his eyes. "And you wonder why you have no friends."

"Not true. I have you."

As much as the Emperor wanted to argue back, what Maeda said was true. He had no other friends. It never really bothered him until he met Maeda. That was when he realized having friends might not be as bad as he'd originally thought.

The two of them had met one sordid evening at a brothel in the red light district years ago. Back then, the Emperor could be found amongst the commoners, enjoying their wine and spirits, whilst reveling in the affections of his endless string of admirers.

As for Maeada Toshimasu… Well, it was hard not to know who he was. The Divina was a legend in the district; his name whispered loving from the lips of every courtesan within a hundred miles.

Naturally, the Emperor's interest was piqued. He'd approached Maeda that night with the intention of taking him as a lover. You can imagine his surprise when the Divina turned him down.

Maeda was a lover of women. Or so he said. The Emperor was quite convinced he could be turned by the right man, with the right amount of coercion. Sadly, that man was not him. Still, the two had quite a lively conversation that night, the result being their unconventional friendship. Rank and status aside, the Emperor knew he was fortunate to have someone like Maeda in his life.

"Don't pout." Maeda replied with a chuckle. "I can never stay mad at you when you look so hopelessly adorable."

"Please don't call me adorable."

"But you are." Maeda winked, pinching the Bell's cheek. "You know, when you're not being a sadistic, arrogant asshole."

Against his will, a burst of laughter slipped from the Emperor's lips.

"Much better. Now," Maeda said, getting to his feet, "I have to go. There's some business I need to attend to in town."

"Business, you say?" The Emperor asked, the corners of his mouth lifting in a knowing smile. "What's her name?"

Maeda blushed. "You wouldn't know her, so don't worry about it. Anyway, I probably won't be back until tomorrow morning. Will you still be here?"

"Yes, of course." The Emperor replied, absently plucking at a strand of grass. "Master Insa has purchased our new home here, but it will be another week or so before we officially move in. Plus, we still need to go back and fetch the others."

"Hmm, so if this was nothing more than a house-hunting trip," Maeda asked quizzically, "why did he bring you?"

The Emperor refused to look Maeda in the eyes when he responded. "I don't presume to know the thoughts of my Master. I merely do as I am told."

"You? Do as you're told?"

"When it comes to my Master's will, I do not ask questions."

Maeda's eyes narrowed for a moment, but he did not press the issue. "Well, I'm just glad you'll be close by. I've missed you." He ruffled the Bell's hair before taking his leave.

After Maeda left, the Emperor followed suit; gathering the blanket and heading back to the room he'd been given in Master Daze's home. He'd just entered the foyer when he overhead a scarp of conversation between two female Animas. Normally, such idol chatter was above him, but then he heard one of them mention Yukimura's name.

"Oh my gosh!" The long-haired Anima squealed. "I love watching Yukimura-sama fight! I get chills every time he swings his blade!"

"I know! I wish we could have stayed longer!" The other Anima replied. "That Divina with the eye patch was handsome, too!"

"You think so?"

"Definitely! And the fact that he could keep up with Yukimura-sama makes him even sexier!"

They both giggled, continuing down the hall towards the dining room.

The Emperor felt an uneasy flutter in his belly; his skin heating at the thought of Yukimura with this "handsome" eye-patch wearing Divina. He quickly dropped off the blanket to his room and headed down to the training grounds.

Making sure to stay out of sight, he found a spot where he could watch without being seen. Sure enough, Yukimura was there, locked in a furious combat with a daemon the Emperor had never seen before. His uneasiness turned to anger when he realized that the one-eyed Divina was indeed handsome.

Mine!

The word echoed through the Emperor's head, ringing loudly in his ears. Angry as he was, he couldn't seem to make himself leave. The two females were right. Watching Yukimura fight was like an orgasm for the eyes. His heaving chest, his strained muscles, the sweat pouring from his brow… The only thing better than seeing him sword fight, was watching him in hand-to-hand combat.

The Emperor thought back to the first time he saw the Divina; covered in sweat and blood as he grappled with a ferocious two-horned Phantom. That was the moment the Emperor decided Yukimura would be his and his alone. Which only meant one thing. This one-eyed Divina had to go…

CHAPTER 9

It felt good to swing a blade again. Yukimura was tired and sore, but he felt rejuvenated; enough to cast his worries aside. Date had always been a worthy opponent, so Yukimura made sure to invite him back to spar again soon.

He grabbed a quick shower while he waited for his dinner to be brought up. He'd just finished his meal when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Yukimura called out, getting up to stack his dishes on the tray. "You're early, Tennyo. I didn't think you'd be here for at least another hour. If you're still worried, don't be. I'm…"

He looked up at the door, realizing it was not Tennyo who'd knocked. The Emperor stood before him, dressed in an emerald green robe. His damp hair obscured his ice blue eyes, but Yukimura could feel his hot gaze burning a hole straight through him. He went back to loading the tray, trying to pretend like his heart wasn't racing in his chest.

"What do you want?" Yukimura asked harshly.

"Hello to you, too." The Emperor replied, pushing the door close behind him.

"Please don't, I'm not in the mood."

"I can see that." He replied, a slow smile spreading across his face. "I came by to see if you'd finally recovered." He looked Yukimura up and down, his eyes brimming with lust. "You certainly look well."

"I'm well enough."

"Indeed you are." The Emperor licked his lips, locking the door behind him. "I saw you fighting that man with the eye-patch today. Very impressive."

Yukimura raised an eyebrow. "Really? And here I thought you'd spent the day with your new lover."

"Maeda is not my lover. We are close, but it's not what you think."

"And by 'close' you mean…?"

"None of your business." The Emperor replied bluntly.

"Well then forgive me if I don't believe you."

"You can believe or not believe whatever you want. It makes no difference to me. Besides, what I do and who I do it with is none of your concern. You should remember that, Divina."

"Noted." Yukimura replied dryly. "If that's all you came here for, then you can show yourself out."

The Bell snickered, untying his robe. "You know exactly why I'm here. Don't play the fool."

The front of the Emperor's robe fell open, exposing his slender frame. Yukimura swallowed, trying to look away, but finding it impossible.

"Admit it." The Bell whispered, walking over to bed. "You want me, and no amount of pride is going to change that. Now take off your clothes. We've wasted enough time on this pointless conversation."

"You think you can just…"

"I don't think. I know." The Emperor replied, cutting him off. "Say what you want, but your body doesn't lie." He looked down at the outline of Yukimura's cock straining against his pants. "I can see the evidence of your arousal plain as day."

The Emperor removed his robe, crawling slowly to the center of the bed. As much as Yukimura wanted to turn away, the sight of the naked Bell on his hands and knees was enough to make him cum right then and there. He shifted on his feet, his dick now painfully hard.

"Take off your clothes." The Emperor repeated.

Yukimura was removing his shirt before the Bell could finish his sentence. And his pants were barely off before he was between the Emperor's legs.

There was no love. No tenderness. There was only desire; only lust. Yukimura refused to be gentle; couldn't have been if he tried. He thrust into the Bell, not bothering to prepare his body to take him. The Emperor cried out in pain, his nails tearing into Yukimura's flesh.

"Don't stop." The Emperor bit out; a tear sliding from the corner of his eye.

Yukimura caught the salty tear with the tip of his tongue just before it fell to the pillow.

"I don't plan to."

CHAPTER 10

Sex with Yukimura was unlike anything the Emperor had ever experienced. It was passionate to the point of violent, and he never knew if he'd come out of it alive. Perhaps Maeda was right. Maybe Yukimura was more dangerous than he realized.

The Emperor lay on his side, staring up at the Divina's sleeping form. Even in his sleep, Yukimura looked terrifying; his massive chest rising and falling with each steady breath. The Emperor reached out his hand, his fingertips hovering over the Divina's perfectly formed lips. He enjoyed kissing this man. In fact, he wanted to kiss Yukimura right then; feel the soft warmth of his lips as their bodies became one…

The Emperor snatched his hand back, realizing how ridiculous his thoughts were.

This is just sex. Nothing more. Do not be a fool. Not again…

As quietly as he could, the Emperor extracted himself from Yukimura's arms and slipped out of the bed. A difficult feat considering how much pain he was in. Yukimura had thoroughly ravished him; taking his body over and over again without restraint or remorse. It had been exquisite pain, resulting in orgasm after orgasm for them both. Unfortunately, it would be quite some time before the Emperor would be able to accept Yukimura into his body again.

He picked up his robe, clenching his teeth in silent agony as he pulled it on. He needed to soak his body for a while; let the heat seep in and ease his pain. Suddenly, an image popped into the Emperor's mind. A vision of him and Yukimura relaxing in a steaming tub of water; the Divina's muscular arms wrapped lovingly around him…

The unexpected thought caused the Emperor to stumble forward and fall face first into the door. He sucked in a breath, wondering if the sudden noise was enough to wake the sleeping Yukimura. He chanced a look over his shoulder, relieved to find the Divina still fast asleep.

The Emperor silently cursed. He was becoming careless; the rules of the game starting to blur. He needed to remind himself that Yukimura was nothing more than a temporary lover; easily replaced once he'd outlived his usefulness. He quietly exited the room, determined to ignore the fact that he wanted nothing more than return to Yukimura's warm embrace.

CHAPTER 11

"He keeps asking about you." Maeda said, dropping into the chair next to the Emperor's bed. "I keep telling him you're perfectly fine, but he won't listen. He insists on seeing you himself."

"Who is this he you keep referring to?" The Emperor replied lazily, adjusting the bed covers over his legs.

"You know exactly who I'm talking about."

"No, really, I haven't the slightest idea."

"Stop it, Emp! Don't involve me in this game of yours. I'm not your fucking messenger. You either talk to Yukimura yourself, or I swear to God I'll bring him here to see you!"

"You can't!"

"Then go to him! For some reason he thinks he's hurt you. The least you can do is let him know you're okay. He's trying to hide it, but I can tell he's really worried about you."

"He is?"

"Yes! I've had to change my route to your room 4 times since you locked yourself away in here! He pops up out of nowhere asking where you are, or if I can take him to you. I swear, the man is smitten!"

The Emperor's entire body warmed at the thought of the Divina being smitten over him. "You think so?"

"Like you didn't know." Maeda said dryly, rolling his eyes. "If that blush of yours is any indication, then I'd wager you're smitten, too."

"I am not!" The Emperor's hands flew to his cheeks; a childish attempt to hide the crimson flush. "He means nothing to me. Nothing at all."

"You're lying." Maeda said, sitting up in his seat. "You always do this. You find a guy you like, and for no reason at all, you push him away. For the life of me, I can't understand why."

"I have my reasons." The Emperor muttered, his gazing dropping to the blanket.

"I'd love to hear them."

"It's complicated."

"Well, you're in luck. I just happen to specialize in complicated."

The Emperor rubbed his temples, closing his eyes in hopes of staving off the headache forming behind them.

"Trust me, Maeda. You don't want these kinds of problems. I'll take care of the Divina, so just drop it."

"Is that what you want?"

Maeda's voice was so serious; so thought provoking, the Emperor couldn't help but ask himself the question. What did he want? Was it the Divina, or was it…"

"I know what I'm doing." The Emperor replied quickly. He wasn't sure he wanted to go any further down his current line of thought. And if he wasn't sure, then it must mean he wasn't ready.

"Emp," Maeda began, his tone still terrifyingly calm. "Does this have anything to do with why your master brought you here with him?"

The Emperor went completely still. He blinked a few times, the room suddenly shifting violently beneath him. Thank goodness he was already sitting down; otherwise, he might have collapsed to the floor. He could see Maeda was still talking to him. And although the Divina's lips were moving, the Emperor could hear nothing but a high-pitched whine from somewhere in the distance.

"Emp, are you okay?" Maeda rose from his seat, reaching out for him. "Emp!"

The Emperor's hands flew up to push Maeda away. "Stop it. You need to leave right now."

"I knew it! I could tell something was off by the way he looks at you. Like you belong to him in more ways than a daemon to his master should."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Maeda. What goes on between my master and I is none of your business."

The Emperor suddenly felt sick; his insides twisting into painful knots. This was a dangerous line of questioning, and if Maeda continued, the Emperor wasn't sure he could guarantee his friend's safety. His master had allowed him to maintain his friendship with Maeda under certain circumstances. If he found out Maeda suspected anything…

"If I were you, I wouldn't make such ridiculous assumptions about Master Insa." The Emperor continued. "He is revered and respected throughout the world. He sits on the Ghost Guild's High Council; an honor given to few. He is above reproach, Maeda, so be careful what accusations you make. He will not hesitate to crush them and you."

"God, Emp, what has he done to you?! You don't even sound like yourself! I can see the fear in your eyes. What kind of power does he hold over you? Tell me, and I swear I will do everything in my power to free you from him!"

The Emperor closed his eyes. His heart aching for what he was about to do. But if he wanted to keep Maeda safe, there was no other choice. He'd issued the warning, but his friend refused to be swayed.

"You need to leave." The Emperor said, trying to keep his voice as emotionless as possible. "You are no longer welcome in my presence. Consider our friendship over."

Maeda ran a hand over his mouth; the shock and anger written all over his face. "I will not abandon you. You need me now more than ever. I will not leave you in that man's clutches, not if there is a way I can save you!"

"Get out, Maeda." The Emperor replied, his panic starting to surface. "Please, I can't…" His voice broke at the end.

"Can't what?" Maeda asked, reaching out for him once more.

The Emperor scrambled off the bed and out of his reach. "Get out or I'll have you removed!"

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on! Please, let me help you!"

"Get out!" The Emperor shrieked, throwing a pillow at him. "Get out! Get out! Get out!"

"Little brother, please!"

"I'm not you're little brother! You mean nothing to me! Now get out and never show your face to me again! Do you hear me?! GET OUT!"

"Alright, alright, calm down! I'm leaving, but this isn't over. Not by a long shot."

The Emperor made no reply as Maeda turned to leave. The Divina glanced back at him as he opened the door, but the Emperor refused to meet his gaze. When he finally heard the door click shut, the danger of his current situation finally hit him. He dropped to the ground, clutching the sheets at the edge of the bed.

This was no longer a game. He needed to get control of this situation and quickly. The last time something like this happen, everything spiraled out of control. People were hurt. People… died. If he didn't put a stop to Maeda's inquiries, his one and only friend's life would be in grave danger.

He groaned, burying his face into the side of the bed. And then there was Yukimura…

What a blind, arrogant fool he was. He should have never approached Yukimura. Never followed him that night. He'd been so careful at concealing his past sexual indiscretions; keeping them short and sweet. Never more than a one night stand. It was the only way to make sure no one got hurt.

But Yukimura… He did something to the Emperor. Made him feel things he hadn't felt since…

He shook himself, clearing his mind of the useless thoughts and emotions threatening to take hold. If he was going to make this right, he needed to take action; sooner rather than later. No more being selfish, and no more ridiculous ideas of love and happiness. He would do what must be done. He would cut all ties with Yukimura.

CHAPTER 12

Yukimura followed Maeda to the Emperor's room. For some reason, Master Insa had insisted on keeping the Bell's location in the house off limits to those without "a need to know." And although Yukimura knew the mansion like the back of his hand, it was too large to search without some kind of idea where is lover was.

Daemons were normally housed in the south and west wings, while guests were placed in the north and east wings. Which was why he was surprised to find the Emperor's chambers on the far side of the east wing, right next to Master Insa.

Maeda had gone into the room about 45 minutes ago. Yukimura was starting to get tired of waiting, and flirted with the idea of just going in. Luckily, he didn't have to. Maeda stepped out of the room, his teeth clenched in an angry sneer. No doubt the feisty Bell had pissed him off. The thought made Yukimura chuckle softly.

Yukimura waited until the Divina was out of sight, then made his way to the room. He put his ear to the wooden door, listening for any signs of movement. He tested the knob, and finding it unlocked, pushed the door open. Under normal circumstances, he would've knocked, but he knew if he did, the Bell would likely turn him away. When he entered, he was surprised to find the room empty.

Yukimura searched the entire room, but when he was certain no one was there, he went back into the hall. He was just in time to catch a glimpse of the Emperor turning the corner.

How strange, Yukimura thought as he went after him. It looked like he'd come out through Master Insa's room…

Oh well. It didn't matter where he'd come from, Yukimura was just happy to see him. He hadn't seen the Emperor for almost a week and he was convinced the man hated him. After their last night together, Yukimura couldn't blame him. He'd taken his anger out on the Bell in ways that no civilized man should. To his horror, he'd woken up the next morning; alone, with spots of dried blood where the Emperor had lain. Evidence of his brutality. Even if the Emperor hated him, Yukimura needed to see him. He needed to make sure he was okay and apologize.

Instead of following after the Bell, Yukimura turned down one of the adjacent corridors, hoping to cut him off. He hid around the corner, afraid that if the Emperor saw him, he'd try to make a run for it. Just as the Bell entered the intersection, Yukimura grabbed his arm. The Emperor let out a startled cry, but when he realized it was Yukimura, his expression became a mixture of relief and anger.

"What in the world are you doing here?!" He whispered angrily, shoving Yukimura in the chest. "No one can be here without Master Insa's permission!"

"He's out with Master Daze, I saw them leave about an hour ago." Yukimura pulled the Bell into his arms. "Are you alright? Did I hurt you the other night? I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have caused you such pain no matter how angry I was." He searched the Emperor's eyes, looking for any signs of anger or disgust. To his relief he found none. He did, however, find panic tinged with a hint of fear.

"He's never gone long!" The Emperor replied, briefly searching the empty corridor. "Do you have any idea what he'd do if he finds you here?! Come, let's go before…"

Yukimura cut off his rant with a kiss, gentle yet firm. He hadn't realized until that moment just how much he missed the beautiful man in his arms.

The Emperor pulled back, pushing against Yukimura's chest in a failed attempt to get away. "We can't do this here!" He whispered frantically. "It's not…"

Yukimura kissed him again, unable to get enough of his soft lips. It felt like ages since the last time they'd touched. He was struggling to stay focused on the task at hand.

"Tell me." Yukimura asked, finally pulling away. "Are you angry?"

"N-no." The Emperor replied breathlessly.

"Then why do you insist on making me suffer like this? Do you have no idea how worried I was?"

"As you can see, I'm perfectly fine. There's nothing to worry about."

"Then where have you been? Why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not avoiding you. I had business to attend to with my master. We went to see that Akasha woman and then some guy named Kazu. We only returned a couple of nights ago."

"Why didn't you tell me you would be away?"

"Because it's none of your business!" The Emperor answered angrily. "Nothing I do is any of your business! You've become entirely too familiar, Divina! Perhaps I was right to break this off with you now."

"I'm sorry." Yukimura replied, not sure if he heard the man correctly. "Are you saying you want to end this?"

"Yes. It was fun while it lasted, but I no longer desire your company or your affections."

"I don't believe you."

"We've been over this, Divina. What you believe makes no never mind to me. I care nothing of you or your feelings. I never did. Now release me. I must prepare for my master's return."

Yukimura didn't release him. In fact, he gripped the Emperor even tighter. "You're lying." He reached down, cupping the Bell's hardening cock. "What did you say the other night? The body doesn't lie."

"Yes, well… I…" The Emperor shifted in Yukimura's arms, swallowing nervously. "You know what?! I don't owe you any explanations! Now get off!"

Something was wrong with this whole scene, but Yukimura couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. These horrible words were spilling from the Emperor's mouth, but his eyes told another story all together. One of fear and desperation; desire and longing.

Yukimura pressed the Emperor's back to the wall, making it impossible for him to escape. The Bell fought back, but it was half-hearted. He obviously wanted what Yukimura was prepared to give. Yukimura used his knee to push between the Emperor's legs, while his hand worked on unbuckling the man's belt.

"Please don't do this." The Emperor whispered.

The Bell's words completely contradicted the lust in his voice. Their faces were only inches apart, but Yukimura made no move to kiss him. He pulled the Emperor's belt free, tugging the silk shirt from the Bell's pants.

"Please." The Emperor begged. "Stop."

"You say stop." Yukimura whispered, unzipping the Bell's pants and reaching in to take hold of his hard cock. "But you're the one clinging to me."

The Emperor blinked in confusion as if suddenly realizing his hands were clutching the fabric of Yukimura's yukata.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you want me to stop." Yukimura said, lifting the Emperor's chin with the crook of his finger.

"I… I…"

Yukimura couldn't help but smile. For the first time since they'd met, it was he who had the upper hand. The Bell wanted him; his beautiful blue eyes swimming with hunger. Yukimura started to stroke the Emperor's hard length, watching with thorough satisfaction as every last drop of fight drained from the Emperor's body.

"Shall I stop?" Yukimura asked, gently kissing the soft skin of the Emperor's neck.

The Bell didn't respond. At least not with words. He moaned sweetly, his head falling back against the wall. His hands slid up Yukimura's muscular arms, over his shoulders, and all the way up until his fingers laced through his long hair.

Yukimura continued his leisurely strokes, his thumb rubbing the tip of the Emperor's cock every time he reached the top of his shaft. He couldn't help but enjoy watching the Emperor yield so completely to him, and it wasn't long before the Bell was panting helplessly in his arms. He was close to his release, Yukimura could feel it. He increased the speed of his strokes, waiting in silent anticipation as his lover drew closer to his climax.

It was beautiful. He was beautiful. Yukimura couldn't help but want this man. If he had to fight to break down whatever walls the Bell insisted on putting up, then he would do whatever it took…

The Emperor's head fell forward, burying his face into the crook of Yukimura's neck. He whispered one word. It was weak and barely audible, but it was all Yukimura needed to hear.

More…

Yukimura didn't hesitate. He tugged the Emperor's pants down, helping him slid one foot completely out. He was about to wet his fingertips with his mouth, when he decided to use the Emperor's instead. He slowly coaxed the Bell's lips apart, sliding two fingers inside. The Emperor opened his eyes, holding Yukimura's gaze as he licked and sucked his fingers.

Yukimura groaned, biting his lip as he tried to hold himself back. He pulled his fingers free, and using his knee to push the Emperor's legs further apart, he slid them both into the Bell's warm depths.

The Emperor let out a sigh of contentment, his muscle clenching tightly around Yukimura's fingers. Yukimura took a deep breath, slowly letting it out. He wanted to prepare his lover this time. Give him pleasure without the pain. But damned if he wasn't ready to dive in!

The Emperor pulled him close, his lovely blue eyes staring up at Yukimura with such longing, it made his heart clench.

"I need you… inside me." He moaned again, his head lolling back. "Please, Yuki…"

God help him! Was it possible for someone to be so incredibly sexy?!

Yukimura didn't bother to untie the strap of his yukata. He merely parted the cloth, exposing his throbbing erection. Using the wall for support, he lifted the Bell in his arms, and slowly eased into his slick heat.

"It feels so good inside you." He whispered in the Emperor's ear. "So hot and tight."

"Faster, Yuki… H-harder… It's… not enough."

"Not yet." He kissed the Emperor's forehead, keeping his strokes slow and deep. "Let me build your pleasure. Show you it can feel good without the pain."

They slid to the ground, the Emperor's back still against the wall. Sitting back on his heels, Yukimura took the Bell's legs and wrapped them around his waist. He knew he would have to control the pace; otherwise, the Emperor would try to ride him senseless.

"Hold onto me." Yukimura whispered, leaning in to kiss his lover's parted lips.

He took hold of the Emperor's narrow hips, tilting them upward for a better angle. In and out; the hypnotic rhythm eliciting all types of moans from his beautiful Bell's lips.

Yukimura clenched his teeth, trying to keep from spilling his seed too soon. Difficult didn't even begin to describe it, but rather than thinking about his own pleasure, he decided to focus on his lover's instead. Yukimura took hold of the Emperor's hard cock, stroking him with the same steady pace as before. Soon the Bell's breathing became labored and ragged once more; his moans echoing through the empty corridor.

"That's it." Yukimura coaxed. "Cum for me."

"I-I can't. It's… n-not enough.

"Relax, lover. Let the pleasure wash over you. It will come."

"No, I-I need the pain." The Emperor's eyes filled with tears. "Please, Yuki."

"No pain. Just feel me." He pushed forward, going as deep as he could, burying himself all the way to the hilt. "Can you feel how deep I am? I'm going to cum inside you, lover. Fill you completely."

"Yuki…"

The Emperor said his name like a plea; begging for sweet release. Yukimura refused to hurt him, but that didn't me he couldn't be a bit more forceful. Yukimura increased the speed of his thrusts, tightening his grip ever so slightly around the Emperor's pulsing length. That was all it took…

The Emperor cried out, his back arching upward as his orgasm tore through him. The combination of the Bell's lust-filled expression and cries of pleasure sent Yukimura tumbling over the edge. True to his word, he came deep inside his lover, letting the Bell's exquisite hole milk him until he was dry. When it was over, and the last tremors of their orgasms faded, Yukimura pulled the Emperor into his arms.

"I will never let you go." Yukimura whispered, placing a soft kiss on the Emperor's temple. "Never."

Master Insa watched from the shadows. The two lovers were so far gone they didn't even realize he was there. His blood boiled in his veins. He wanted nothing more than to tear them apart; murder the daemon foolish enough to touch his precious Emperor.

Unfortunately, such behavior would be unacceptable from someone in his position. It was obvious the sex was consensual, so grounds for any attack against Yukimura would be considered unfounded. And even if he did arrange an attack against the warrior Divina, there was a good chance he would lose; especially since he had none of his other daemons with him.

No, Master Insa would have to find another approach. Arrange a way to separate the two without drawing any negative attention to himself in the process. It shouldn't be difficult. The impulsive Bell had already given him the opportunity he needed. All Master Insa had to do was put his plan in motion and watch the pieces fall into place. And when it was all said and done, he would not only end the pathetic relationship between the Emperor and Yukimura, but he would tie the Bell to him forever.

CHAPTER 13

Yukimura was in love. At least that's what he thought it was. He'd never been in love before, so he didn't exactly have anything to compare it to. Sure, he'd had a few lovers who he'd cared about; lusted over to the point of mild obsession. But never in his life had such feelings lasted longer than the third or fourth fuck.

But this Emperor… He had passion and fire unlike anything Yukimura had ever experienced before. The Bell was dazzling; his every movement and action utterly intoxicating. Yukimura could live every day in the Bell's presence and never feel like it was enough. He wanted more of his beloved; more of his passion, more of his fire…

When they'd finished their brief fling in the hall, Yukimura had carried the man back to his room. Though the Emperor's room was closer, he'd insisted they go to Yukimura's room instead. He wasn't going to argue with the Bell.

By the time they made it back to his room, Yukimura was already rock hard again; all other thoughts insignificant when compared to his need. He wanted to bury himself over and over in his lover's depths; lose himself in the heat of their love-making.

And that he did. They made love for the rest of the day and into the night. Yukimura was sure he'd finally broken through the Emperor's wall of cool indifference, but to his dismay, he awoke the next morning with his arms empty once again…

"What's wrong, Yuki?" Tennyo asked.

They were walking down to the dining room for breakfast. Yukimura preferred to dine alone, but Tennyo wanted some company, so he'd conceded to her request. He figured it was the least he could do after all the care and support she'd given him recently.

"Nothing." He replied.

She snorted. "Right, like I'm just going to accept that as an answer. Come on Yuki, tell me what's going on." She nudged him with her shoulder. "Does it have to do with the Emperor?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"So it's definitely about the Emperor."

"Tennyo, please, don't start this. I don't have the physical or mental energy to deal with you right now."

"Oh, wow. It must be serious." She stopped, grabbing his arm to keep him from walking any further. "Talk to me, Yuki. I don't necessarily like your relationship with the Emperor, but I care about you."

"I know." He replied, gently tugging a strand of her hair. "It's just hard for me to put what I'm feeling into words."

"Oh my God." She said, her eyes widening. "You like him, don't you? I mean, like him like him!"

"I'm not sure what the difference is, but I do care about him. More so than I have for any of my past lovers. I want him. And not just in a sexual way. I want to be near him. I want to talk to him. Make him smile and laugh. He's an arrogant, pretentious prick, but I think that's what I like about him. For the first time in my life, I feel like I've found my equal."

Tennyo gasped dramatically. "Are you saying you love him?!"

"I don't know what I'm saying." Yukimura ran both of his hands through his hair. "I just want him, Tennyo. No, I need him."

Tennyo's jaw dropped. "Holy cow, this is huge!" She exclaimed. "Yuki, you are definitely in love!"

"Like I said, I don't know how I feel."

"Trust me, you're in love." Tennyo replied, patting him on the cheek. "I've known you a long time. You have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to sex and romance. You go through lovers like most people go through glasses of water. The fact that this Bell has captured your attention and kept it... Let's just say Hell must have frozen over."

Yukimura couldn't help but chuckle. "Are you sure it's not just, what did you call it the other day? Obsession?"

"I think it was in the beginning." She answered, holding his gaze. "Every time we talked about him, your eyes would burn like fire. I couldn't tell if it was rage or passion or something darker. It kind of scared me. I've never seen such a look from you before. Not even with Ikutachi. But now…"

"Now?" He prompted.

"The fire is still there." She replied with a gentle smile. "But I know what it is now. It's love."

"Love." The word sounded strange on his lips. Such a concept seemed foreign to him. How could a person love someone and not know it? Wouldn't that in and of itself mean they weren't in love?

"Yep." Tennyo replied confidently. "You, my friend, are completely besotted."

Yukimura frowned. "So what am I supposed to do now?"

"Well, you can start by telling the Emperor how you feel."

"What if he doesn't feel the same?"

"I guess that's a risk you're going to have to take. Would you rather love him in silence, or confess and have the chance of him returning your feelings?"

Yukimura thought about the question. He knew for certain he could not keep his feelings hidden. It simply wasn't in his nature. He'd lived his entire life going after the things he wanted, and he wasn't about to stop now.

"I want him." He said firmly. "Of that I'm sure. I need to know if he wants me, too."

"Then there's your answer." Tennyo replied with a wink.

"I have to go find him."

"Right now? You don't want to eat first?"

"I don't think I could." He answered honestly.

Tennyo giggled. "You are definitely in love! Alright, come find me later. I want to know how everything turns out."

"Hopefully, you won't be consoling me." He replied with a nervous smile.

"Have faith!" She encouraged. "I'm sure things will turn out well."

As they turned to go their separate ways, Ameno Uzume came rushing down the hall. Her cheeks flushed with exertion and excitement.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" She cried, coming to an abrupt halt in front of the two of them.

"What's wrong?" Tennyo asked.

"I have to find Master Daze!" Ameno exclaimed.

"For what?" Yukimura asked, exchanging a confused look with Tennyo.

"It's that Bell! He's being arrested by the Guild!"

"What?!" Yukimura cried. "Why?!"

"Attempted murder." She squeaked. "They're taking him to face the High Council as we speak."

"Murder?! That's ridiculous! Of who?"

"Date Masumune."

"Where is the Emperor right now?" Yukimura asked.

"Last I saw, they were at the front entrance getting ready to leave."

Yukimura was racing down the hall before anyone could stop him. He knew the Bell was capable of many things, but murder wasn't one of them. He'd get to the bottom of this, but first he would have to find out the truth of what happened. If he didn't, he would lose the first person he'd ever loved. There was only one way the Guild handled such crimes, and if Yukimura couldn't save the Emperor, then the Bell would be destroyed…

CHAPTER 14

The Emperor stood before the Guild's High Council. His clothes were filthy and tattered, and his feet were bare of any socks or shoes.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen…

No longer was he one of the most sought after Bells in the world. He was a criminal; his name and reputation now in ruins. He had nothing and no one. He was completely and utterly alone.

"Did you, or did you not, threaten the life of the Divina, Date Masumune?"

The Emperor paused. He did indeed threaten the Divina, but he never intended to follow through with it. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He might have roughed him up a bit, but certainly nothing as drastic as trying to kill the man. Of course that didn't matter now. Nothing did…

"I did." The Emperor replied coolly.

"And you did, three nights ago, poison him with the intention of taking his life?"

"Yes." The Emperor replied firmly.

"Then this council has no choice but to convict you of the crime you are charged with here today." The judge stood, addressing all those present. "For the crime of attempted murder, you, Emperor of the Night, are hereby sentenced to death. The date and time of your destruction will take place within the fort night. May the fates have mercy on your soul."

CHAPTER 15

The Guild's High Council is convened on the rarest of occasions. Once a year is mandatory since they wrote and passed many of the Guild's underlying laws. All other Council gatherings were done via summons from Professor Yata.

The Council consisted of three ghost agents; chosen for their unwavering bravery and loyalty to all human and daemon-kind, and three daemons; chosen for the power they wield and the respect they command.

Of the ghost agents, there was Master Insa; both feared and respected for his prowess on the daemon battlefield. During his 15 years of service to the guild, he'd only been defeated 5 times; all within his first year as an agent. To his left sat Master Nina; the only female ruling on the Council. She was a vicious little thing; as terrifying as she was beautiful. She came from a long line of famous ghost agents; all of which had served on the Council. And finally, there was Master Sublumenal; leader of the Guild's Western division and the youngest human in history to hold a place on the Council. He was a quiet man; thoughtful and reserved. At least until it came time to battle. He was still undefeated, and though it was too early to tell, many believed he would surpass Master Insa.

On the daemon side, there was Professor Yata; a kind and gentle soul. His wisdom and expertise were highly valued within the guild's ranks, and he was often consulted by ghost agents for guidance and advice. Next was Dracula. The Phantom rarely spoke, often choosing to be a spectator rather than a participant. It wasn't that he didn't care, but when you've lived as long as he has, there's very little that can get you worked up. And last, but certainly not least, was the infamous Emperor Sutoku. No one could figure out why Sutoku had been given a position on the Council, especially after his reign of tyranny only a few years earlier. Many thought it was a tactic to keep him under the Guild's influence, others believed Sutoku was secretly pulling the strings.

Of course all this didn't matter to the Emperor of the Night. He was a dead man, and dead men have no cares…

Professor Yata raised his arm to bring the gavel down onto the hard wooden podium. But just before it struck, Master Insa stood.

"If I may, I'd like to speak on the defendant's behalf."

The Emperor's heart threatened to come to a grinding halt. Whatever his Master had to say would likely end badly for him.

"Of course, Master Insa." Professor Yata replied, setting the gavel down. "I'm surprised you have not spoken until now."

"I'm not." Sutoku muttered in annoyance.

Professor Yata shot him an angry look before turning back to Master Insa. "Please, continue."

"Thank you." He replied, bowing regally towards his fellow Council members.

"Just keep it short." Nina said, tapping her long black nails on the wood. "We've wasted enough time on this criminal." She narrowed her eyes on the Emperor. "If it were up to me, he'd be dead already."

"Now, now, Master Nina," Sutoku replied mockingly. "Let's hear what Insa has to say."

There was an outbreak of whispering in the audience. Sutoku had referred to Master Insa without his title; a great disrespect. Professor Yata whispered something furiously to Sutoku, but the Phantom Emperor simply rolled his eyes.

"Just get on with it, Insa." Sutoku said, sighing irritably.

Master Insa's eye twitched ever so slightly, but he continued as if he were unfazed by Sutoku's blatant disrespect.

"I am well aware the accused has committed a terrible crime. He should be punished, that is without question, but I believe a sentence of death is a too harsh."

"Tell that to the Divina he tried to kill!" Nina spat. "He tried to murder one of his own kind. And a fellow Divina at that! He should be flayed alive and burned at the stake!"

"I agree with, Master Nina." Sutoku added, looking over at the Emperor. "I'm all for chaos and such, but to kill a fellow daemon… Successful or not, the Bell should be punished to the fullest extent of our laws."

"Under any other circumstances I would agree," Master Insa replied, "but I believe my daemon was not in his right mind at the time of the incident."

"It takes a great deal of thought to mix a poison." Master Sublumenal interjected. "And a great deal more to use it. Who's to say that given the opportunity, he will not do this again? We cannot take that risk. Order must be maintained."

"So we are going to use him as example?" Master Insa asked, his voice alight with anger. "We have the opportunity to try another approach. One of mercy and compassion. What if he can be reformed? Will we condemn him to death without even trying?!"

"He has a point." Dracula muttered.

Sutoku nearly jumped out of his seat. "Damn it, Drac! I thought you were asleep! You scared the shit out of me!"

"I wasn't sleeping." Dracula replied dryly. "I was simply resting my eyes. Unlike you day walkers, this is when I'm supposed to be asleep." He adjusted his suit, sitting up in his chair. "As I was saying, Master Insa poses a good point. If we sentence this daemon to death, we are no better than he is. And let's be honest, does this Bell really look like a killer?"

"Yes." Master Nina replied bluntly.

Dracula's gaze turned to Nina. A smile spread across his face as a slow blush filled her delicate cheeks. She immediately looked away, but the Emperor could practically see the woman's heart fluttering in her chest. Few could withstand the Count's powers of persuasion. Not even the stone-cold Master Nina…

"Believe me." Dracula said, his eyes lingering a moment on Nina's slender neck. "I know a murderer when I see one, and this Bell certainly is not."

"But he's confessed." Sublumenal reminded everyone. "Why would he admit to a crime knowing that his life was on the line?"

"Because he's guilty!" Nina exclaimed.

Sutoku laughed. "It appears Master Nina knows nothing of mercy." He leaned forward. "What do you propose instead, Insa? I'm assuming you have an alternative punishment in mind; otherwise, you would not waste this Council's time."

"I do, Lord Sutoku. I propose I take custody of the Emperor. I believe under my care and supervision, he can be reformed."

"Forgive me for being rude," Sublumenal said, "but you haven't exactly done a very good job up until now. After all, it was under your care that he committed this heinous crime. It calls into question your ability to control him and any other daemons in your possession."

"I have to disagree, Master Sublumenal." Professor Yata said. "I believe Master Insa was just as shocked as we were that all this happened. I also think we should consider his request. If there is a ghost agent capable of reforming a daemon who has lost their way, I believe it would be Master Insa."

"You've got to be kidding me?!" Nina huffed furiously.

"Relax." Sutoku said, placing a hand on hers. "If Professor Yata agrees with Insa, then perhaps we should consider this alternative."

Sutoku's eyes lingered on Professor Yata, a strange expression crossing his face. For a moment, the Emperor was sure something unspoken past between the two males, but it was gone before he could tell what it was.

"If we're voting," Dracula said, "then I vote for Master Insa's request."

"I second that vote." Sublumenal added. "But only out of curiosity to see if this 'reform' will work."

"I vote for Master Insa as well." Professor Yata added, looking at Nina.

"Fine!" She snorted angrily. "I don't even care anymore."

"And you, Lord Sutoku?" Master Insa asked.

Sutoku smiled. "I'll agree under two conditions. First, should the Bell relapse or show any signs of violent behavior, he is to be terminated immediately."

"And second?" Master Insa asked.

"Second, once the Bell has been terminated, you will be removed from this Council and relinquish your title as a ghost agent."

"Sutoku!" Professor Yata hissed. "How could you make such a request?!"

"No, it's fine." Master Insa replied. "I agree to his terms. If I can't keep the Emperor under control, then I don't deserve to call myself a ghost agent."

"Then it's settled." Sutoku said, winking at Professor Yata. "The Bell, Emperor of the Night, is hereby released to Insa's custody."

"Thank you." Master Insa replied, bowing to the Council. "I will not fail you."

The sound of the gavel snapped the Emperor out of his spectator state. He felt like he'd watched the whole trial from within a glass box. But the moment Sutoku announced the new verdict, and the sound of the gavel echoed through the room, the Emperor's glass box shattered.

For a moment, he considered begging for death. It would likely be a better alternative than anything his master had in store. But then he thought of Yukimura and Maeda. There was no telling what his master would do to the two Divinas should he step out of line. The Emperor couldn't let anything happen to either one, so he kept his mouth shut and let himself be dragged from the room.

The ride to his master's new home wasn't long enough to mentally prepare for what he knew he would face. So when his master took him down into the cold dark cellar that would serve as his home from now on, he couldn't stop the waves of panic and terror from crashing into him.

His master took the chains around his wrists, specially designed to withstand the Bell's strength, and hooked it onto a curved mental spike hanging from the ceiling. His master then took the chains holding his feet and attached them to the iron loop protruding from the cold, stone floor.

"Do you like it?" His master asked, his voice full of excitement. "I had this place designed especially for you. I didn't think I'd be using it so soon, but you didn't leave me much choice."

"Why are you doing this?" The Emperor asked. "Why not just let me die?"

Master Insa's eyes widened. "Because I love you. Isn't that obvious? I would do anything for you."

"Then let me go. Please."

Master Insa looked away, unable to meet the Bell's gaze. "I can't do that. You belong to me. I summoned you. You chose me!"

"But I didn't, and you know…"

His master backhanded him so hard; it made the Emperor's teeth rattle.

"You are mine!" He grabbed the Bell by the throat. "Or have you forgotten?"

The Emperor couldn't answer the question. It's difficult to speak when one cannot breath.

"Don't worry." Master Insa continued, his eyes taking on a dark longing. "I'll remind you. I shall carve it into your flesh so you never forget again."

CHAPTER 16

Yukimura sat in the audience, watching as the Emperor was dragged from the assembly room. He instinctively moved to go after him, but Maeda grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Not here." He whispered.

"I can't just sit here and watch while…"

"You must!" Maeda insisted. "If we are going to save him, then we need some kind of plan. Right now we should just be happy they're not going to execute him."

"Why don't we just tell someone?" Yukimura asked, watching as the room started to clear out. "If we alert the Council of our suspicions, maybe they can help us."

"We can't just walk up to one of them and say we suspect Master Insa poisoned Date and not Emp. Like I told you before, he has too much influence here. There's no telling who we can trust and who we can't."

"What about Master Daze? He's a good man. He'll listen to us."

"That idea is even worse! He's Master Insa's best friend! They've known each other since childhood. Do you really think he'd take our side in this?"

Yukimura thought about it a moment. His gut told him to trust his master, but if there was even the smallest doubt that he would take Master Insa's side, then Maeda was right, he couldn't be trusted.

"Then what do you suppose we do now?" Yukimura asked. "We already talked to Date. He's convinced it was the Emperor who poisoned him. And based on what the Bell said to him, I don't blame him for thinking that way. I still can't believe he would be stupid enough to make such a threat so openly."

"I can." Maeda replied. "Love makes us say and do foolish things. Plus, I've known Emp for a long time. He's impulsive and careless."

"Do you think he's capable of poisoning someone?"

"Yes and no." Maeda replied. "He's always had a talent for mixing potions, but most were for recreational purposes only. You know, aphrodisiacs and such. Is he capable of mixing a poison? Yes. But would he use it? Most certainly not."

"I don't know him as well as you, but I'd have to agree."

"As well you should." Maeda replied. "It was he who mixed that sleeping draught for you after your fight with Barbatos. He was concerned when he realized you were getting worse, so he approached Professor Yata with the idea. It was mixture that not only induced sleep, but had healing properties as well."

"I had no idea."

"You were never supposed to." Maeda said. "But unfortunately, Emp's kindness has backfired."

"How so?"

"Professor Yata knows he has the talent and means to mix the poison that almost killed Date. He also has Date's testimony stating that Emp threatened his life should he go near you again. All the Anima had to do was put two and two together."

"It doesn't help that the Emperor confessed either." Yukimura rubbed his tired eyes. Needless to say, he hadn't slept in days. Not since the Bell was arrested.

"I think he confessed to protect you." Maeda said thoughtfully.

"Then he's a fool. I need no protection."

"Emp is no fool. He knows something about Insa that we don't. Something that scares him." Maeda sighed heavily. "All we have right now are theories and speculation. Without evidence, we can't prove any of it. If we could just talk to Emp, then maybe we could start putting some of these pieces together."

"Then we need to find a way to get to him." Yukimura said.

"That would require breaking into Master Insa's house."

"I know a guy that knows a guy." Yukimura replied. "I can get us in."

Maeda laughed humorlessly. "It's not the getting in I'm worried about."

CHAPTER 17

Emperor Sutoku watched as the two Divina's whispered in the now empty room. They were obviously deep in conversation; otherwise, they would have noticed they weren't alone. They sat towards the front of the room, behind where the accused had stood.

"I didn't know the Emperor had any friends." Sutoku said, addressing the two Divina's.

They both jumped to their feet at the sound of his voice, followed quickly by swift bows.

"There's no need for that." Sutoku continued. "I'm just your average, common daemon."

Maeda frowned. "Not at all, Lord Sutoku. You are a legend among daemons and humans alike. Yukimura and I were surprised that one such as yourself would serve on the Council."

"Hmm, a legend, you say?" Sutoku said thoughtfully.

"Like you didn't know." Yukimura snickered.

Sutoku cut the Divina a warning look, wiping the ridiculous smile off Yukimura's face.

"Forgive me." Yukimura said quickly. "I meant no offense."

Sutoku smiled, waving his hand. "Enough flattery. Tell me why you're here. As I said before, I didn't realize the Emperor had friends."

"I've known Emp for several years now." Maeda said, exchanging glances with Yukimura. "He's a good daemon, despite recent events."

"If you say so." Sutoku replied, narrowing his eyes. "And what of you?" He asked, addressing Yukimura. "You know, I'm very familiar with you warrior Divina. You've cost your master quite a bit of silver during your service to him. I'm surprised he hasn't sold you yet."

"You and me both, Lord Sutoku." Yukimura replied, laughing nervously. "As for me, the Emperor and I have only just met."

"Yes." Sutoku said with a knowing smile. "Which is why I find it hard to believe he loved you enough to take the life of a fellow daemon."

"That's a lie!" Yukimura bit out. "He would never do such a thing! He's not a murderer!"

Maeda grabbed Yukimura's arm, pulling him back. Sutoku examined them both for a moment, his curiosity growing by the second.

"No, he's not." Sutoku replied carefully. "But only because he didn't succeed in his attempt."

Yukimura opened his mouth to speak, but Sutoku cut him off. "Careful, Divina. Remember to whom it is you speak."

"Forgive him, my lord." Maeda interjected. "He's just upset."

"I'm sure." Sutoku replied, his eyes still locked with Yukimura's defiant gaze.

There was a fire in the Divina's eyes. One Sutoku was very familiar with. He too had felt such passion and longing for another. The kind that made you do stupid things; like non-verbally threaten one of the most powerful daemons in the world…

"We should be going." Maeda said, bowing to Sutoku.

Maeda glanced over at Yukimura, nudging him with his elbow. Reluctantly, the Divina bowed as well, moving as if the action caused him great pain.

Sutoku laughed loudly. "It's amazing you've survived this long, Yukimura."

"And on that note. Good day to you, Lord Sutoku." Maeda said, dragging his friend from the room.

Sutoku rubbed his chin, several thoughts forming in his mind, but none he was ready to act on just yet. He left the room as well, wandering down one of the halls in the Ghost Guild's main headquarters. He hated this place; avoided it at all cost. But then he'd been summoned for this ridiculous trial. And by Professor Yata himself. How could he possibly refuse?

He turned the corner, stopping when he realized he'd ended up in front Yata's office. And that right there was why Sutoku hated this place. Too many memories… He turned on his heels, quickly walking in the opposite direction. He'd almost escaped, when he heard Yata's voice drift from around the corner.

Sutoku cursed inwardly, diving into the nearest open room. Thank God it was empty so no one could see what an idiot he looked like.

"Is that all, Professor?"

"Yes." Yata replied. "Take care of yourself, Bunchu. Your work here will be missed."

"T-thank you, Professor. It's been an honor serving by your side. I-I will miss you as well."

Is he stuttering? Sutoku sucked his teeth. Youths!

The touch of amusement in Yata's voice made Sutoku clench his teeth.

"You should get going, Bunchu. You don't want to be late meeting your new master."

"Y-yes. Thank you again, Professor. G-good bye."

Sutoku waited a few moments before coming out of his hiding spot. He peeked out of the room, groaning when he found Professor Yata standing outside the door, tapping his foot.

"I thought that was you." The Anima said dryly.

"Geez, how do you do that?!"

"Wouldn't you like to know? Is there any particular reason you're here, or is just to irritate me?"

"Come on, Yata. Don't be like that. We can be civilized, can't we?"

Professor Yata took a deep breath. "You're right. My apologies, it's be a challenging day."

"I bet." Sutoku replied, unable to stop himself from asking the question rattling in his brain. "Does it have anything to do with your lover's departure?"

"My lover?!" Professor Yata stopped, biting his lower lip like he always did when he was angry. "You know what, forget it. I don't know why I even bother."

The Anima turned to go into his office, but Sutoku caught his hand. "Just tell me. Is he your lover?"

"Why do you care?!"

"You know why."

"No, I don't." Yata said, snatching his hand back. "You made it very clear you don't care about me or my feelings."

"What I did back then was…"

"Don't. Just… don't."

The Anima left Sutoku standing in the middle of the hallway. He wanted to go after him, but if he did, what would he say? He'd joined the Council for one reason and one reason only: Yata. He kept telling himself that he was here to fight the good fight. Protect the rights and interests of all daemon-kind. He was lying to himself, and all it took was seeing his ex-lover to remind him of that.

CHAPTER 18

"I can't believe the 'guy' you said you know is Sibylle the fucking Thief! Of all the people in the world to trust, you pick him?!"

"I take it you know each other?" Yukimura asked.

"You could say that." Maeda muttered, crossing his arms.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Hell no! Just don't be surprised if he betrays us."

"He won't. I saved his life a few years back. He owes me."

"Thieves don't owe anyone anything, Yukimura. That's why they're thieves!"

"Just relax. He'll find a way in. All you need to do is distract Master Insa. Follow the plan and everything will work out."

"You can't even call this a plan!"

"Will you stop complaining about it?! This is an extraction. Get in, get out. There's no need to get fancy."

Maeda sighed. "Famous last words."

"Shut up, here he comes."

Sibylle dropped beside them. "Ready?" He asked. "I found a way in, but we need to move fast."

Yukimura looked up at Maeda.

"Fine, let's get this over with." He muttered.

Yukimura smiled, slapping him on the shoulder. "Remember, I need at least 20 minutes."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Maeda shot Sibylle an evil look. "If you do anything to jeopardize this, I will find you and I will kill you. Is that clear?"

Sibylle rolled his eyes. "Crystal. Now can we go? I haven't got all night."

"Good luck." Yukimura said to him to Maeda.

"Same to you." He replied.

CHAPTER 19

The Emperor lay on the floor of his cell, surrounded by the deafening silence and ice cold darkness. He'd been stripped bare, every part of his body either bruised, torn or broken.

He was well accustomed to pain, but not even he could withstand such brutality. His Master had shown no mercy; no restraint. Twice the Emperor had passed out from the pain, and both times his master had brought him back from the blissful darkness; only to begin the torture all over again… It was a test Master Insa said. A way for the Emperor to prove his eternal love and devotion.

"You mustn't cry out." He'd whispered in the Emperor's ear. "You must endure in silence and accept this pain as penance for your betrayal. Only then will your sins be cleansed and my forgiveness earned."

And so the Emperor did as he was told. He remained silent, swallowing his screams as his Master unleashed the totality of his wrath upon him. He didn't bother begging for mercy. The Emperor knew from experience that such actions would only excite Master Insa. The man enjoyed watching his Bell suffer; enjoyed watching each and every one of his tears fall.

It had been so long since the last time his Master lost control, that the Emperor had almost forgotten all the man was capable of. And as he lay on the freezing cold stone, unable to move for the pain, he couldn't remember why he'd ever been foolish enough to defy his Master in the first place.

He heard the door of his cell click open, his body immediately cringing at the sound. Had Master Insa come back so soon?! Terror, raw and unfiltered, flooded his system. He groaned softly, trying to peer through swollen eyes.

"My God…"

The words were whispered so softly that the Emperor could barely make them out. Or perhaps it was because he could no longer hear out of his right ear.

"What has he done to you?!"

That voice! Yukimura! Panic immediately replaced his terror. The Emperor wanted to scream for him to run; beg for him to leave before it was too late, but he couldn't even open his mouth. His jaw was completely shattered.

"Don't worry, we're going to get you out of here."

WE?! The Emperor groaned again, choking on the silent sobs trapped in his throat. We could only mean Maeda has with him. The fools!

"How could anyone do this to another?" Sibylle asked in a hushed voice.

"I don't know," Yukimura replied weakly, "but we're running out of time. Help me lift him."

"Are you sure about this, Yuki?" Sibylle asked. "I'm afraid if we move him, we'll cause more harm than good."

"We're not leaving him!" Yukimura snapped angrily.

"I'm not suggesting we should, but we need to find a way to get him out of here without killing him!"

"There are no other options! We just need to move quickly. He'll have to hold on until we get him to a healer." Yukimura leaned over the Emperor, plucking the blood soaked strands of hair from his forehead. "Do you hear me, my love? This will be painful, but you must be strong."

"Yuki, maybe we should just go for help."

"There isn't time! Now help me get him up!"

CHAPTER 20

Yukimura could feel the vomit rising in his throat. He'd seen countless wound and injuries. Witnessed limbs cleaved from bodies and people burned alive. But this… How could anyone survive such torture? The Emperor was unrecognizable, his face practically caved in. His jaw was clearly broken, and from the way his right arm lay twisted and limp at his side, it too was broken.

He pulled off the cloak he wore and draped it over the Emperor's naked body. As carefully as possible, he rolled him onto his back, and wrapped him as best he could. The sounds of the Emperor's choked screams echoed through the room, fueling the anger Yukimura was trying so desperately to control. Thoughts of Master Insa's head on a spike flashed in his mind. He would kill the human for this; very slowly and very painfully.

But right now, his first priority was the Emperor. Yukimura could smell the sickly sweet stench of death clinging to his lover. They needed to get him to a healer, or he would not survive the night.

"I'll carry him." Sibylle said, dropping to one knee.

"No, I will." Yukimura replied sharply. "Help me get him on my back."

The two worked to settle the Emperor on Yukimura's back, but by the time they were prepared to leave, the Emperor had lost consciousness.

"He's still breathing." Sibylle whispered. "But for how much longer, I'm not sure."

CHAPTER 6

Maeda was escorted into Master Insa's living room. He was in. Now all he had to do was keep Master Insa busy and…

Shit!

"Maeda!" Lord Sutoku exclaimed. "What a happy coincidence!"

Maeda pasted on his best smile, praying to any god listening that the Phantom hadn't seen his momentary slip.

"It's good to see you again, Lord Sutoku."

"And you." He replied. "Are you here to see Insa or the Emperor?"

"Both actually." Maeda answered, moving to take a seat in one of the empty chairs.

"Ah, me too! Insa stepped out for a moment. He should be back shortly."

Maeda stumbled, barely catching himself on the back of the chair.

"Are you alright?" Sutoku asked.

"Yes." Maeda replied quickly. "I think I tripped on the edge of the rug here. "

Sutoku raised an eyebrow, but he didn't call him out on the obvious lie. Maeda eased into his seat, debating on whether or not he should abort the plan and go after Yukimura. There was a good chance Master Insa was with the Emperor, and Yukimura was walking into trap. Add the fact that Lord Sutoku was here…

"Are you sure you're alright? You look nervous."

"Positive." Maeda replied, his thoughts skipping a beat.

He didn't like the way the Phantom was looking at him. Maeda shifted in his chair, trying to keep his smile firmly in place.

"Insa just went to grab us a couple of drinks." Sutoku said. "I think Yukimura is safe for now."

"How did you…"

"Oh, please. You two are so predictable. All that whispering after the trial. It wasn't difficult to figure out what you planned to do. The hardest part was figuring out the when. But, based on samurai's pent up rage, I figured it would be sooner rather than later." He chuckled softly. "Looks like I was right to come this evening."

"Let me explain." Maeda blurted out.

"No need." Sutoku said with a brilliant smile. "I'm perfectly content watching how this all play out."

Master Insa entered the room, a bottle of brandy in one hand and two glasses in the other.

"Maeda? Is that you?"

"Yes, Master Insa. I came to check on the Emperor."

"Oh. Well, I was just telling Lord Sutoku here that he's resting. Perhaps you can come back another time to see him."

"Thank you." Maeda replied. "I would like that."

"Would you care to stay for a drink?" Master Insa asked. "I can grab another glass if you'd like."

"Sure," Maeda replied. "I'd love one."

Maeda had precisely one drink, putting him at exactly 32 minutes in the ghost agent's home.

Time to go...

"Thank you very much for the drink, Master Insa, but I should get going. I'll come back in a couple of days if that's okay."

"Of course. I'll let him know you stopped by."

"I think I'll be going, too." Sutoku added. "I have some business to take care of before I head back."

"Then let me see you both to the door." Master Insa said.

"No need." Sutoku replied. "I think we can let ourselves out."

"Well then, I bid you both a good night."

As they made their way to the door, Sutoku grabbed Maeda's sleeve.

"He knows." The Phantom whispered. "Or at least he suspects something is wrong."

"We'll be long gone before he has the chance to react." Maeda whispered back.

"I sure hope so."

Maeda headed straight for the place he and Yukimura set to meet. To his dismay, Sutoku followed him.

"What are you doing?" Maeda asked.

"I should think that's obvious. I'm following you."

"Yes, I know that, but why?"

"I should think that's obvious, too."

"Are you going to stop us?"

"No. Not at the moment anyway. Like I said, I want to see how this plays out."

Maeda remained silent the rest of the way. He knew he couldn't beat the Phantom, so there was no point in trying. He'd just have to pray the man didn't interfere more than he already had.

"Yukimura, I'm here. Unfortunately, we have company. He insisted on… Holy shit! Is that Emp?!"

"What took you so long?!" Yukimura exclaimed. "I said 20 minutes! Look, we need to find a healer right now. Tell me you know of one."

"Uh, not off the top of my head. Maybe we can take him into town."

"He'll die before you get there." Sutoku said, examining the scene with an unreadable expression. "We need to take him to Yata's."

"Are you insane?!" Sibylle cried. "It's bad enough you're here! At this rate the whole bloody Council will find out we've taken him!"

"That's the least of you concerns." Sutoku replied, addressing Yukimura specifically.

"Let's think about this, Yukimura." Maeda said.

"There is no time to think." Sutoku retorted. "He's dying. Yata is your best shot, and even then I don't if he'll be able to save him."

Yukimura lifted the Emperor in his arms. "I'll take him. You two go back. If anyone will be punished for this, it will be me."

"I'm not going anywhere." Maeda answered.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Sibylle said. "I don't need these kinds of problems. I hope your friend lives, Yuki. Good luck."

"Well," Sutoku interrupted, "now that we've wasted even more time, are you two ready?"

"Yeah." Yukimura replied. "Let's go."

CHAPTER 21

Professor Yata pulled the door open, his face a mixture of irritation and frustration. Sutoku couldn't help but smile, even the Professor's angry face was sexy…

"Why are you here?" Yata asked, tugging his robe closed.

"Don't flatter yourself." Sutoku replied, unable to resist goading the Anima. "I'm not here for you."

"Then why are you at my door at this time of night? I can only think of one reason and…"

Yukimura appeared in the doorway, the battered and beaten Emperor in his arms. "Please help us, Professor Yata. We've nowhere else to go."

It took a minute for Professor Yata to take in the situation, but once he did, he was quick to respond.

"Bring him in!" He exclaimed.

The Anima raced over to his perfectly laid dining room table and proceeded to sweep everything onto the floor. Beautiful plates and wine glasses shattered on the ground, but the Professor hardly seemed to care.

"Lay him here." He instructed Yukimura.

Kiku Ichimonji entered the room, rubbing her tired eyes. "I didn't know you were expecting guests. I'll rouse one of the servants to make some tea."

"No, Kiku." Professor Yata commanded. "Go and fetch Nightingale."

"You want Nightingale to make tea?"

"Just do as I say! And tell her to bring all her medical supplies."

"As you wish." Kiku mumbled sleepily.

"Sutoku, I need hot water and towels. I trust you remember where everything is?"

"I most certainly do." The Phantom replied, moving about the house as if he'd lived there for years.

Professor Yata peeled back the blood-soaked cloak from around the Emperor. "Is this who I think it is?" He asked, his face turning a sickly shade of green.

"Yes." Yukimura replied.

"And does Master Insa know about this?"

"Insa is the one that did it." Sutoku replied, setting a steaming bowl of water on one of the dining room chairs.

"You can't know that." Professor Yata said quickly. "Any one of his other daemons could have done this. Perhaps it's payback for trying to murder one of our kind."

"Not possible." Maeda interjected. "The rest of Master Insa's daemons aren't due to arrive for several more days. The only people living in that house are him and the Emperor."

"No…" Professor Yata whispered.

"Yes." Sutoku said. "It appears my suspicions about Insa were right all along. I guess I'm not crazy after all."

"We'll discuss this later." Yata said, shooting Sutoku a warning look.

"No, we'll talk about this now!" Yukimura grabbed the Professor's arm. "You knew about this and did nothing to stop it?! This human is a monster and you let him serve within our ranks!"

Sutoku grabbed Yukimura's wrist, twisting it back until the bone was ready to snap. His other hand flew to the Divina's throat, lifting him off the ground.

"If you ever touch him again, I will kill you. I will slice open your belly, remove your insides and feed them to you while I watch you bleed to death."

"Sutoku, stop." Professor Yata placed a hand on the Phantom's arm. "Look at me."

Sutoku turned his threatening glare to Yata; the fire extinguishing almost immediately.

"Put him down." The Anima whispered.

Sutoku took a deep breath, releasing Yukimura. The Divina dropped to the ground clutching his wrist. Maeda helped him up, his wary gaze locked on Sutoku.

"In case you boys haven't noticed," the Professor said. "There is a daemon dying on the table. Surely this argument can wait."

Yukimura scowled at the Phantom, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

"Master!" Nightingale exclaimed, rushing towards the group. "Kiku said you wished to see me. I've brought all the supplies I have on hand; it should be enough for whatever is…" She stopped midsentence when she caught sight of the Emperor lying on the table.

To the tiny Divina's credit, she remained calm. Despite going deathly pale, she did not waver. With a look of steely determination, she marched to the table and set the massive box in her hand on the floor at her feet. She took a quick inventory of the Bell's injuries, then nodded once as if deciding what needed to be done.

"How can I help?" Yukimura asked.

"By being quiet." She replied.

"Surely we can be of some assistance." Maeda pleaded.

"Master, please remove these people from the room." Nightingale said, her hands working furiously on the Emperor.

"Alright everyone, let's leave her to it."

"But…" Yukimura argued.

"Your friend couldn't be in more capable hands." Yata replied reassuringly. "She will do everything in her power to save him, but we need to give her room to work. Come, I'll make us all some tea."

4 hours later…

No one was allowed back into the dining room. Correction, Yukimura wasn't allowed in the dining room. Lord Sutoku went in about 30 minutes ago, but refused to allow Yukimura, or anyone else, to accompany him.

Maeda sat across from him, completely knocked out. Yukimura couldn't figure out how the Divina could sleep at a time like this. He was exhausted, too, but his mind refused to shut down. Not when his beloved lay dying only a few feet away.

Professor Yata was pacing the length of the floor. He'd started about an hour ago, and was clearly in deep thought. Yukimura had several questions he wanted to ask, but he somehow knew the Anima would not answer them.

Finally, Sutoku came out of the dining room, his expression grave. Professor Yata went to Maeda, gently shaking him awake.

"Huh? What's going on?" Maeda asked, yawning widely.

The Phantom sighed heavily, shaking his head. "She couldn't save him." He said, addressing the room. "There was too much damage."

Yukimura stood, his knees threatening to buckle. "I want to see him."

"I figured you would." Sutoku replied. "I've asked Nightingale to prepare the body, but given the state of his wounds, I requested she keep him covered. He should at least be allowed some kind of dignity in death."

Maeda's head fell into his hands. "This isn't happening." He whispered. His shoulders shook as he wept softly.

"I'm afraid it is." Sutoku said solemnly. "I am so very sorry for your loss."

"I'll inform the Council." Professor Yata said. "We'll need to act swiftly. Insa will know we're coming."

Nightingale stepped out of the room, her head bowed, unable to meet anyone's eyes.

"Forgive me." She whispered, her voice breaking. "There was nothing I could do. He's ready if you wish to say your goodbyes."

Yukimura staggered towards the dining room. With every step, a piece of his world came crashing down around him. When he finally entered the room and saw the sheet covered body, the last piece came tumbling down.

Yukimura backed away, unable to go any further. If he pulled back that cover, this would all be come real. The Emperor would really be dead, and he would truly be alone. He spun around, slamming right into Sutoku.

"You can't go after him." The Phantom said firmly. "I know you think revenge is the only way to soothe your rage, but believe me, there is another way."

"Move."

"Think about what you're doing." Sutoku replied calmly. "Do you think you lover would want this? He paid the ultimate price to keep you safe, and you would repay him with foolish ideas of vengeance."

"Do not speak to me of vengeance, Phantom. Not when the walls of history are painted with the blood of your own retribution."

"And do you want to know what I had left after all that death and destruction? After my so-called retribution? Nothing. That's the thing about revenge, Yukimura. It doesn't fill the gaping hole in your chest. That never goes away. Perhaps there is a split second of relief, but it is gone before you ever have the chance to recognize what it was. Trust me; this is not the path you want to take. There is a way to seek justice without unnecessary bloodshed. Let me show you how."

"I don't need you to show me anything. I will make Insa pay for this no matter the cost. What you fail to realize is that I have nothing left, so there is nothing to lose."

"You are a fool." Sutoku replied. "This is not war, Divina. You are not killing an enemy in order to survive. What you are about to do is murder; plain and simple. Are you a murderer, Yukimura?"

"Keep standing in my way and you'll find out."

Sutoku punched Yukimura so hard in the stomach; it felt like the Phantom's fist went straight through him. All the air in his body rushed out. It was impossible to take a breath, and without oxygen, it was only a matter of time before the darkness swooped in greedily. The Phantom whispered in Yukimura's ear just before he lost consciousness.

"You can thank me for this later."

CHAPTER 22

"Can you hear me, Yukimura? It's Maeda."

Yukimura opened his eyes at the sound of Maeda's voice. He was lying atop the covers of a bed in a room he didn't recognize. It was dimly lit, but only because the curtains had been pulled shut to block out most of the sun. He looked up at Maeda, confused as to why the Divina looked so relieved.

"It's about time you woke up." Maeda said. "You were asleep so long; I was worried Lord Sutoku might have done some permanent damage."

"Don't be ridiculous, I barely touched him."

Sutoku stood at the foot of the bed, an amused smiled on his face. He had a glass in his hand, which Yukimura could only assume was filled some kind of dark liquor. He took a sip, regarding Yukimura closely over the rim of the glass. The sound the Phantom's arrogant, self-righteous voice made Yukimura want to strangle him.

"You son of a bitch!" He rasped. "You punched me!"

"Now, now, no need for name calling." Sutoku retorted, grabbing a chair and dragging it over to the bed. "At least you're alive, which would not be the case if you'd gone after Insa all half-cocked. I saved your life, Divina. You should be thanking me."

"You think I'm afraid of some human?!" Yukimura shot back, sitting up in the bed.

"You should be. Insa is stronger than he looks, and a hell of a lot smarter than you."

"Please, I could beat him with both hands tied behind my back!"

Sutoku snickered. "You wouldn't even get close enough to try. I know your ego won't allow you to accept this, but believe me, kid, you wouldn't stand a chance against a ghost agent like him."

"How would you know?" Yukimura said, sucking his teeth in irritation.

"Because he beat me." Sutoku replied matter-of-factly. "And if he can beat me, then he can definitely beat you."

"No way." Maeda whispered.

"Yes way." Sutoku replied, his voice laced with venom. "If it weren't for him, I'd probably have control of the Guild right now."

"But that's not how the story goes." Maeda insisted. "We were told it took all of the Guild's resources to take you down."

"Then guild lied. It took one agent with five well-trained daemons, in the right place, at the right time. I never saw him coming." Sutoku took a deep pull from his glass, a dark rage filling his eyes.

"I wonder why they'd lie about something like that." Yukimura said in a low voice.

"Well, I don't believe it!" Maeda exclaimed. "You're the great Emperor Sutoku! There's no way you could've been taken down so easily!"

"You don't have to believe it for it to be true." Sutoku replied bitterly. "And there was certainly nothing easy about it."

"So Insa is the reason why you're being forced to work for the Guild?" Yukimura asked, his tone skeptical.

"He may have defeated me in combat." Sutoku explained, draining his glass. "But no silly little human is going to force me to do anything. There is a reason for everything I do." He said, a dark, twisted smile forming on his lips. "And I do them only when I know things will work out well for me."

"Then why should I trust you?" Yukimura asked. "You said you wanted to show me another way to get my revenge on Insa. How do I know you're not just using me for your own personal gains?"

"But I am using you." Sutoku replied. "My offer to help you is not out of kindness or sympathy. I merely see a way for both of us to profit from a… unfortunate situation. You want Insa dead, and so do I. If we work together, then perhaps…"

"The person I love most in this world is gone, and you speak to me of 'profit'? His death is not some opportunity for you to capitalize off of!"

"Yukimura, please." Maeda interjected. "I feel the same as you do, but if we are going to get any justice for Emp, then this is our best bet. At least hear him out."

"We don't need him, Maeda!" Yukimura insisted. "The two of us can do this! We just need…"

"Me." Sutoku interrupted. "You need me."

"Is there no end to your arrogance?" Yukimura hissed.

"You're one to talk." Sutoku shot back.

"Why you…!"

"Enough!" Maeda shouted. "Yukimura, do you want Insa to be punished for his crime?"

"Of course!"

"Then I suggest you listen to Lord Sutoku. If what he says is true, then he is our only shot."

"Listen to your friend, Divina. You're talking about murdering a member of the Council. Not an easy task. And even if you manage to kill him, you'll still have to deal with the rest of his lackeys."

"Lackeys?"

"What?" Sutoku asked mockingly. "You thought he was the only one you had to worry about?" He snickered. "Let me let you in on a little secret. Insa has friends in very high places. The kind that can crush you and your friend like tiny little bugs. This is politics, Yukimura. No one becomes a member of the Council without support. And Insa has a lot of it."

"You did." Yukimura retorted.

Sutoku smiled. "That shows how little you know. But that's beside the point. Insa is the most respected, most worshipped, and most trusted ghost agent in the Guild's history. You kill him now, and you will make him a martyr."

"But once we tell people what kind of animal he is, then they will see…"

"They will see him as a hero." Sutoku replied. "Cut down too soon by some crazed, lunatic daemon. Or at least that's what Insa's crew will make everyone believe."

"But…"

"Come on, Divina!" Sutoku snapped in frustration. "You're smarter than this. Don't tell me you actually think they'll believe you over him."

Yukimura stared at the Phantom, unable to argue. Though he was loathed to admit it, Sutoku was right. He needed another way.

"Not as stupid as you look after all." Sutoku said, realizing he finally had Yukimura right where he wanted him.

Yukimura took a deep breath, fighting the urge to throat punch the condescending look right off of the Phantom's face.

"What do you need from me?" He asked Sutoku through gritted teeth.

"Information. I need everything you know about the Emperor and his relationship with Insa. Did they get along? How often did you see them together? And when you did, was there anything strange or odd that you noticed?"

"That's easy enough." Yukimura said.

"That's not all." Sutoku continued. "I need to know about your personal relationship with the Bell as well. To include everything you talked about and did together. I need to know every single detail of your interaction."

"I told him what I know already." Maeda added. "And everything we found out about Date and the poison."

"And all this is going to help us bring Insa down?" Yukimura asked.

"It's merely the first piece. We need to discredit Insa. Turn the agents and daemons against. Knock him off his pedestal and watch how his allies scatter."

"And what then?" Maeda asked.

"We put the puzzle together, and when the time is right, insert the last piece."

"And what's the last piece?" Yukimura asked.

Sutoku had the good sense to hesitate before he replied. "The Emperor's dead body. You think the Council got worked up over an almost murder. Just wait till you see what happens when you present them with a real one."

CHAPTER 23

Yukimura hated to admit it, but Lord Sutoku was a genius. When Insa was first presented with the charges, he'd feigned ignorance. The Bell was not in his possession, therefore, he could not be held accountable for the Bell's death, or rather the alleged death. After all, without a body, how could there be a murder?

Sutoku was completely unfazed, calling for an immediate search of the ghost agent's mansion. The Council agreed, albeit grudgingly. There was a moment Yukimura was sure they wouldn't do the search, but when Professor Yata intervened, the motion was almost immediately passed.

In the end, it would appear luck was on Sutoku's side. Unfortunately for Insa, it's difficult to hide evidence with little to no warning in advance. And even more difficult, since Sutoku had conscripted the services of Hellhound; a Phantom with a nose for death.

It took under an hour to find evidence of the Emperor's blood splattered throughout a cleverly hidden cellar in Insa's home. Not only that, but a serious of torture devices were found, also cover in the Emperor's blood. And that's when things got messy...

You see, it was at this point the Council began to believe Insa just might be guilty. Soon they were asking questions. Questions that even the mighty Insa could not answer. And not only that, but ghost agents and daemons alike were coming out of the woodwork. Each and every one with a different account of Insa's cruelty either witnessed or experienced.

Is this what fear does to a person? Yukimura had thought. To sit and do nothing in the face of evil… His faith in the world was chipped away with each story. It appeared that someone needed to die before anyone was actually willing to speak out and do something.

Yukimura counted a total of five times the ghost agent changed his story. Everything the man had worked to build his entire life was falling apart around him, and he was doing everything in his power to stop it.

Insa's final argument denounced all the testimonies thus far, claiming they were nothing but hearsay; not evidence. As for the blood spatter on the cellar walls and torture devices; they didn't prove anything. The Emperor's blood could have gotten onto them in any numbers of ways. Besides, for all they knew, the Bell was still alive and being hidden somewhere. That was when Insa reminded the Council that Sutoku still could not produce a body. And without the body, there could be no charge of murder. At least not one the Council could conclusively prove.

But, just when the Council believed they had no choice but to let Insa go, Sutoku delivered the final blow. He displayed images of the Emperor's dead body for the entire room to see. The Phantom said he'd been trying to spare the deceased such humiliation in death, but since Insa insisted on proof, he'd been given no choice. Sutoku even offered to have the actual body brought in for examination, but, to everyone's surprise, Insa had immediately rejected the suggestion.

Gone was Insa's mask of haughty indifference. Every shred of his confidence was gone, right along with any fight he might have had left. To Yukimura's complete and utter disbelief, he saw something in Insa's eyes that he never expected to see. True remorse. It was then that Yukimura realized the truth. Insa didn't believe the Emperor was actually dead. But with the truth staring him in the face, not even he could deny it any longer.

Insa confessed shortly after. Not only to the murder of the Emperor, but also the attempted murder of Date Masumune.

On a warm Tuesday afternoon, just a week after the Emperor's death, the most beloved ghost agent in the history of the Guild was stripped of his title and sentenced to death. Three days later he was executed.

You will be happy to know that he is no longer a legend; no longer worshipped and revered. Sutoku had kept his word, and despite wanting to be the one to deliver the killing blow, watching Insa get his head chopped off was satisfaction enough. But sadly, Sutoku was right. The gaping hole is never filled. And although there was relief knowing that Insa was finally dead, it did not bring back the Emperor.

The Night the Emperor Died…

Sutoku entered the dining room, glancing behind him to make sure no one had followed. A thought had occurred to him. One that would almost guarantee Insa's downfall. But if it was going to work, he would need to get the Divina nurse to cooperate.

Nightingale was working feverishly; nearly every inch of her covered in blood. She'd cleaned most of the wounds, working her way from the most life-threatening to the least.

"How is he?" Sutoku asked in a hushed voice.

"Stable." Nightingale said, not bothering to look at him. "I've stopped most of the internal bleeding, and reset most of the broken bones. Every bone in his face is practically shattered, but luckily he's still able to breathe on his own. I need to transport him to my facility, so I can begin reconstructive procedures. It will be rough, but in a few months I think he'll be able to make a full recovery. Provided of course he survives the night."

"But how?" The Phantom asked, examining the Bell closely. "He's practically unrecognizable."

"I doubt one such as yourself has suffered many life-threatening wounds, Lord Sutoku. As such, you're probably unfamiliar with how quickly daemons can heal. It's a part of our nature; otherwise, we would not be able to battle with such frequency." She looked up at him, smiling sweetly. "Plus, I have a few medical tricks up my sleeve. If the Emperor can survive the transport to my clinic, then I believe he has a good chance of making it through this in one piece."

"That's good to hear." Sutoku said. "But I need you to kill him."

"What?!"

"Keep your voice down." Sutoku commanded.

"But you just asked me to kill him!"

"True, but there's no need to get so worked up about it. Besides, you don't have to actually kill him. Just make him look like he's dead. I'm sure you have a drug or tonic in that bag of yours that will do the trick. We just need to make him look dead long enough to convince Yata and the others out there."

"In his current condition, such an act could kill him for real! To take such a risk… You can't be serious?!"

"I am very serious." Sutoku put on his best, most convincing look. "It's the only way to make sure the one responsible pays for this."

"But surely we could…"

"There won't be enough time. The man who did this is the all-powerful Insa. If we give him even an hour longer than necessary, he will find a way to convince the Council, and everyone else, he is innocent."

"A-are you sure it was him?"

"There isn't a doubt in my mind. And if I'm going to punish him for this, I need your help."

"But why do we have to kill him? Or pretend to." She corrected.

"Because it will force the Council's hand. In the case of possible murders, an investigation will be started immediately. Insa can be detained for 48 hours without the need for evidence. That's all the time I need."

"What you're asking is dangerous, Lord Sutoku. I've taken an oath to do no harm. Since there is a chance the Emperor will not survive such a farce, I will be breaking that oath."

"Then you leave me no choice." Sutoku said solemnly, tucking a strand of hair behind her delicate ear. "You will do this, or I promise that I will find the one thing you love most in this world, and destroy it."

"You w-wouldn't." She stuttered. "Y-you've changed. You're a servant of the Guild now!"

"Am I?" Sutoku asked, stroking her pale cheek.

"P-please don't make me do this." She whispered in a terrified voice. "I would never be able to live with myself if this ends up killing him!"

"Oh, my sweet little bird." He whispered, leaning down to place a chaste kiss on her temple. "If you don't do as I say, you won't have to worry about living at all."

CHAPTER 24

Six months later…

"You lied." Professor Yata said, eyeing Sutoku angrily from the other side of the room.

"Yes, but it was for good reason." The Phantom said, pouring himself a glass of brandy from the decanter next to him. "I had the opportunity to bring Insa to justice, and I took it. An evil man is dead and the world is a better place for it. You're welcome."

"This isn't a joke, Sutoku! You lied to the Council! Whether Insa was guilty or not, we brought judgment against him under false pretenses. We convicted him of the Emperor's murder when he is in fact alive!"

"A minor detail."

"Minor detail?! MINOR DETAIL! I could strangle you right now!"

Sutoku smiled, looking the Anima up and down. "I think I'd thoroughly enjoy that."

"You fucking bastard! You have the audacity to make light of this! Did you even bother to think about what this would do to the people involved? What about Yukimura and Maeda? And Master Daze as well?! You let them mourn the Emperor's death for months! You didn't even have the decency to tell them after the trial that he was still alive!"

"At the time, we weren't sure if he was going to survive. I didn't want to give them hope where there was none."

"Right." The Professor said sarcastically. "I'm sure they'll thank you for your consideration."

"You're making a big deal out of nothing." Sutoku replied casually. "Once the initial shock is over, I guarantee they will be just fine."

Professor Yata closed his eyes, rubbing them with the base of his palms. Sutoku wanted to go to him, bring him into his arms and tell him that all this would be okay. But his pride wouldn't let him.

"You know what frustrates me the most?" Yata said. "That you didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. Together we could have found another way to bring Insa to justice. But now, we've tried and executed a man based on a lie!"

"But he deserved it!" Sutoku retorted. "You even have the Emperor's testimony now to confirm our suspicions!"

"Then why tell everyone he was dead?! We could have waited for the Bell to recover. Get his testimony when he was well enough. Surely we could have come to the same outcome without causing everyone such unnecessary pain!"

"You know as well as I do that there wouldn't have been enough time! Insa is smart; he would have found a way to get out of this. He has too many allies, too many connections. We needed to act fast. Strike will while the iron was hot!"

"That's your excuse?! You fake the death of a daemon, force Nightingale to lie about it under oath, put us all through unnecessary grief, just so you can take down your enemy?"

Sutoku frowned. "What are you implying, Yata?"

"Don't play stupid, Sutoku. You don't think I know what this is about? You've always hated Insa, ever since he defeated you in combat. You keep trying to pretend like this wasn't a personal vendetta; like you were trying to bring a poor daemon justice! But the truth is you're just selfish!" Yata laughed humorlessly. "I should have let him kill you that day."

"Don't say that." Sutoku said, his tone sobering instantly. "Don't say things you don't mean."

"But I do mean it. I hate you. You're so charming and convincing. And no matter how many times you lie, I always forgive you. I'm such a fool!"

"You're not a fool, Yata."

"Oh, but I am. You know, there was actually a time I thought you loved me. I still can't believe I was stupid enough to fall for your act. You used me back then, just like you're using the Emperor now. There is no limit to your depravity. I just wish I would have seen it sooner."

"Yata…"

"Congratulations." The professor continued, all emotion gone from his voice. "You won. Your enemy is finally defeated. You should be proud. But I warn you now, if you think that you've eliminated your only threat in the Guild, then you will be sorely disappointed. Make one wrong move; take one step out of line, and I will crush you."

Sutoku took a step back. Yata was serious. Deathly so. A sudden and terrifying thought hit Sutoku. Was this truly it? The final straw? For so long he and Yata had hovered over the line between love and hate. But staring at the Anima now, Sutoku had a feeling he knew exactly which side of the line Yata stood on.

"Do you want to know why I kept this a secret from you?" Sutoku said, trying to keep his voice level. "Because you think everything I say or do is a lie. I don't blame you. My actions can be cold and calculated, and yes, I bend the truth to my will more often than not. But there is one thing I have never lied about, and that's how much I love you. I didn't come to you all those years ago because I wanted to use you. The horrible truth is that I didn't need you in order to execute my plans. I had others within the Guild for that. I just wanted you. From the moment I saw you, I wanted you. If I was some young fool, I'd probably call it love at first."

"I don't believe you."

"And I don't care." Sutoku replied matter-of-factly. "I love you, and I will never stop loving you no matter how much you hate me."

"You think this declaration of unwavering love changes anything?" Professor Yata asked. "How can I possibly trust anything you say?"

"You can't. I'm the bad guy, remember? The quintessential villain. And no matter how hard you try, I will never change. Until you realize that; until you understand that this is who I am, we will never get over our past."

"Then I guess that's it. There's nothing else to say."

"Yeah, I guess so." Sutoku set down his empty glass. He turned to leave, but paused for a moment at the door. "Just so you know; what I did had nothing to do with me losing to him in battle. I hated Insa, but not for the reasons you think. He took something from me. Something so precious that the only punishment for it was death. Yes, I took my revenge, but at least I managed to give two daemons a chance at love. Perhaps I'm not as selfish as you think."

CHAPTER 25

"Yuki, you need to eat." Tennyo said, bringing in a tray of food and setting it on the table in his sitting room.

"I'm not hungry."

Yukimura sat in front of his window, staring vacantly at the setting sun. He was tired of having the same conversation with Tennyo. Always the same…

I'm sorry. I know how you feel. Please, let me help you. I'm worried about you…

He knew she was trying to help. Loved her for it. But what she and everyone else couldn't seem to understand was that he needed time. He needed to be alone.

"At least try some of the soup. Cook made it especially for you."

"Maybe later."

"How about a few spoonfuls? I promised Master Daze I would try and get you to take a few bites."

"Tennyo." Yukimura said, his voice coming out sharper than he wanted. "I know you mean well, but can you please just drop it. I'll eat when I'm ready, not before."

She remained quiet for a while, sitting in one of the chairs beside him. They both stared out the window, watching as the sun disappeared behind the horizon.

"Yuki, I know you don't want to talk about this, but it's been months. You're not eating, you're not sleeping. How much longer do you think you can keep this up? You're wasting away in this room. The Emperor's death was tragic, but hiding from the world isn't going to bring him back. You're still here. Still living and breathing. Please, let us help you get through this. Me, Master Daze, even Maeda. We want to give you the support you need, but we can't do that unless you let us in."

"Please leave, Tennyo."

"Don't do this, Yuki. This isn't healthy. You haven't even cried yet! You'll never be able to let him go if you can't even mourn him properly."

"Get out."

"Yuki…"

"Get out!"

Tennyo jumped, her eyes brimming with tears. Yukimura sighed in frustration, wishing she would just shut up and leave. He couldn't deal with this right now. He didn't want her pity, but all he saw when he looked in her eyes was just that.

"I need to get through this on my own." He said, trying to keep his voice calm. "I know he's gone, and I know I have to get over this, but right now I need to mourn him in my own way. I need you and everyone else to understand that. Please, I'm begging you, leave me be."

She sighed, rising from her seat. "If that's what you want, Yuki, then so be it. Just do me a favor and eat something, okay?"

He nodded, glancing over at the tray of food. The sight made his stomach turn, but he wasn't going to admit that in front of Tennyo. He'd flush the food down the toilet and let her believe he'd eaten. Much easier that way.

Yukimura breathed a sigh of relief when she left the room. He found comfort in the silence around him. Peace and tranquility. He'd never been one for meditation, but in the past few days, he found that self-reflection came in all kinds of forms.

It was nearly 4 hours later before Yukimura decided to get up and prepare for bed. He picked over the cold food before dumping it into the toilet. He took a quick shower then made his way to the bed. He wondered why he even bothered trying to sleep anymore. It never came, and on the rare occasions it did, it brought with it horrific nightmares. Ones where he was forced to watch the Emperor die over and over again; never able to save him in.

He climbed into the bed, not even bothering to put on his night clothes. He settled under the sheets, staring up at the same spot on his ceiling. He must have drifted to sleep at some point, because he was sure he could hear the Emperor's voice calling his name. This was how his nightmares always started…

"Yuki, wake up."

Yukimura slowly opened his eye, sleep still heavy in his mind. As his vision came into focus, he came face to face with the most beautiful ice blue eyes he'd ever seen. They were familiar to him, full of love and happiness. He reached out his hand, cupping the cheek of whoever owned them.

"I loved someone with eyes like yours."

"What happened to them?" The person asked.

"They died." Yukimura whispered, his voice breaking. "You sound like him; even your scent is the same."

"Yukimura, look at me." The voice said, gently shaking him. "See me clearly."

Yukimura blinked a few times, rubbing his eyes to further clear his vision. When opened them again, he instantly froze. He searched the face hovering above him. His heart beating so fast, he thought it might explode.

"No…" He said in a hushed voice. "It's not possible. Y-you're dead."

"Yet here I am."

Yukimura sat up in the bed, propping his back against the head board for much needed support.

"This is a dream." Yukimura said. "It has to be."

"Is that what you want?" The Emperor asked, climbing on top of him. "For this to be a dream?"

"I-I don't know." He frowned, wondering if dream lovers were supposed to feel so warm and smell so good. "If I say yes, will you stay?"

The Emperor smiled, gently kissing Yukimura's forehead. "I'll stay with you no matter what you're answer is."

Yukimura could feel the tears burning in his eyes. No longer could he hold them back. He knew this was a dream. He knew the Emperor would be gone come the morning. It wasn't fair. Why would fate finally give him love, and then snatch it all way.

"I love you." Yukimura whispered. "So much. I never got the chance to tell you that, and I'll never forgive myself for it."

"Yuki, don't…"

"No, let me finish. I should have protected you. I should've recognized the danger you were in and kept you safe. If I'd only realized it sooner, you would still be alive. You'd still be with me." Yukimura pulled the Bell into his arms. "I miss you so much. Every day it's a struggle just to get out of bed. I see you in everything; feel you everywhere. How do I carry on when I feel like there is nothing left for me here?"

"Don't talk like that." The Emperor said, pulling back. "Do you think I would want you to just give up on life? I don't want you to die, not when I sacrificed so much to save you!"

Yukimura took the Bell's face in his hands. "If dying meant I could be with you again, then I would happily end my life."

"Stop. No more talk of death." The Emperor said firmly, running his hands through Yukimura's hair. "If this is a dream like you say, we haven't much time. Make love to me, Yuki."

Yukimura crushed their lips together, tearing off the thin robe the Emperor wore. He flipped the Emperor onto his back, sliding between the Bell's legs in the next breath. Yukimura held nothing back; letting the entirety of his love take control. He took his time preparing his lover, enjoying every sweet moan that slipped from the Emperor's beautiful lips. And when the time came to bury himself within the Bell's warm depths, he could hardly stop himself from spilling his seed.

"Ahh, fuck…" Yukimura whispered. "I don't remember you being this tight or wet."

He bit his lip, trying to focus on the pain instead of the pleasure. The Emperor lifted his hips off the bed, grinding his ass against Yukimura and forcing his cock even deeper.

Yukimura hissed, pinning the Emperor's hips to the bed. "Don't do that." He said through gritted teeth. "I'll be finished… before we even start."

"Cum for me, Yuki." The Emperor whispered. "The sooner we get this one out of the way, the happier we'll both be."

The Bell was right. Yukimura hadn't had any kind of release in months. There was no way to hold back his orgasm, so there was no point in trying.

"Don't worry about being gentle, my love." The Emperor said, reaching out his arms toward Yukimura. "I've waited long enough to feel you inside me again. Give me all of you. Your love, your pain; your happiness and sorrow. Let me free you."

"I… can't." Yukimura said. "What if…"

"Don't think." The Emperor replied. "Just feel."

Yukimura sat back on his heels, lifting the Emperor into his arms. Sliding his hands of the Bell's back, he grabbed his shoulders and pulled him all the way down onto his cock. The Emperor let out a long sigh, his head falling back. Yukimura pressed his lips to the base of the Emperor's neck, nipping and sucking the delicate skin.

"Don't hold back." The Emperor whispered, threading his fingers through Yukimura's hair. "You can't hurt me since this is nothing more than a dream."

A dream. His beloved was right. This was only a dream. No need to hold back; no need to stop. Yukimura increased his pace, taking the Emperor's waist and thrusting upward as he held the Bell's slender hips in place. With each stroke he felt like he was going deeper, touching the most inner part of his lover's depths.

This went beyond sex; beyond pleasure and desire. They were connected on the deepest of levels; their hearts beating in perfect unison. They were one in every single way imaginable. Yukimura couldn't think; couldn't speak. His mind was filled with nothing but thoughts of man in his arms. This was love in its purest form. Too bad none of it was real…

When his orgasm came, Yukimura couldn't help but cry out. It was so incredible, so explosive; he could hardly keep his balance. The Emperor held onto him tightly, waiting until the last tremors left his body.

"My turn." The Emperor said, gently pushing Yukimura down.

The Bell straightened Yukimura's legs, making sure he was comfortable before straddling his waist once more. Yukimura had forgotten how beautiful the Bell was. All pale skin and sparkling blue eyes. It was a glorious sight, and enough to get him rock hard all over again.

"You never disappoint, my love." The Emperor said with a smile, positioning Yukimura's thick length at the entrance of his hole. "I didn't even have to wait."

"I love you." Yukimura said, unable to keep the words from rushing out.

"You told me already." The Bell said, smiling as he lowered himself onto Yukimura. "But I love hearing you say it, so tell me again."

"I… love you."

He managed to get the words out just before the Bell began to roll his hips in the most intoxicating rhythm. It made Yukimura's toes curl and his head fall back against the covers. Yukimura lifted his hips from the bed, his mind focused on one simple goal: How to go deeper…

The Emperor rocked his hips back and forth, his eyes locked with Yukimura's. It was as if the Bell wanted make sure Yukimura was enjoying every second of the ride. The Emperor took hold of Yukimura's hands, placing them on his chest.

"Touch me, Yuki. Please."

Yukimura did as he was asked; his questing hands caressing every part of the Emperor's sensitive flesh. He let the Bell control the pace despite his desperate need to take control.

"How easy it would be," he thought, "to flip him over. Bury his face in the pillow while I…"

"Whatever it is you're thinking," the Emperor moaned. "Do it!"

Yukimura grabbed the Emperor, flipping him onto his back before grabbing his leg and gently rolling him onto his stomach. There was no stopping it now. Yukimura was too far gone. The smooth skin of the Emperor's back; the curve of his ass as it tilted up at the most perfect angle… Yukimura could feel his control slipping; the sound of the soft wet suction threatening to shatter his last shred of his conscious thought. The Emperor was close to his release, his cries of pleasures filling every part of Yukimura's senses.

Focus!

Yukimura kept screaming the word in his mind, forcing himself to think about anything but his orgasm fighting for release. He may be strong, but even he couldn't concentrate with the Emperor's hole tightening so deliciously around his throbbing length.

FOCUS!

The Emperor finally came; his hot cum splattering the sheets. Yukimura let out of cry of relief, his long awaited orgasm erupting almost immediately after the Bell's. He held the Emperor hips in place, his fingers digging into the Bell's delicate flesh.

"We're not done." Yukimura bit out, feeling his dick harden once more. "This isn't enough."

"Tell me what you need." The Emperor said breathlessly. "Whatever it is, I'll do it."

"I need you to stay."

The Emperor sat up from the bed, embracing Yukimura lovingly.

"I will never leave you, Yuki." He whispered, tightening his arms around him. "I will always be by your side."

"Yes." Yukimura said. "But only in my dreams."

CHAPTER 26

The sun woke Yukimura from a deep slumber; his first real sleep in weeks. He was exhausted for some reason; his body drained and sore, but for the first time in months, he woke up without the overwhelming desire to stick a knife in his belly. He'd had the most amazing dream, and if he could have the same one every night for the rest of his life, then maybe, just maybe, he could survive.

He swung his legs off the bed, standing up and stretching his muscles. He couldn't figure out why he was so sore, but he hoped a hot shower would loosen him up.

"Are you going to shower? I'll join you if so."

Yukimura jumped liked a scared little school girl, falling to the floor in a great heap.

"Are you alright?" The Emperor asked, crawling to the edge of the bed to examine him.

"W-what…? H-how…?" Yukimura stared at the Emperor, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest. "A-am I awake? I can't be. Y-you're dead!"

The Emperor climbed off the bed, dropping to the floor and crawling cautiously toward Yukimura.

"Do I look dead?"

"B-but I saw your body!"

"Are you sure I was truly dead?" The Emperor asked, placing his hand on Yukimura's arm.

"You're asking me if I know whether or not you're dead?! I was there! I carried your body to Yata's! I even saw the pictures!"

"Relax, my love." The Emperor replied. "I shouldn't tease you so." He pinched Yukimura's skin. Hard.

"Oww Jesus! What did you do…" Yukimura stopped mid-question, his eyes widening. "This is really happening, isn't it? You're really here!" Yukimura grabbed the Emperor, shaking him roughly. "How are you here?!"

The Bell pried Yukimura's hands from his arms. "Deep breaths, love. Deep breaths. I can't imagine what's running through that pretty little head of yours, but if you want me to explain, I need you to calm down."

Yukimura did as the Emperor asked, breathing in deeply and exhaling slowly.

"That's it." The Emperor whispered. "Nice and easy."

"Are you really here? Are you really alive?"

"Yes, my love." The Bell said. "And I meant what I said last night. I will never leave your side again."

CHAPTER 27

The Emperor watched Yukimura carefully. The Divina was as white as a sheet; his eyes like a deer caught in head lights. Under any other circumstances, he would have found the situation amusing; except for the fact that there was genuine fear in Yukimura's eyes.

It took nearly 30 minutes to get the Divina to accept the truth. He had so many questions, all of which the Emperor was more than willing to answer.

"So Sutoku lied about your death?"

The Emperor could see the rage burning in Yukimura's eyes. His lover was furious; every muscle in his body tight with anger.

"He had good reason." The Emperor replied. "Insa was far more powerful then you could have ever realized. But because of Lord Sutoku, I'm finally free."

"But he lied. Why did he have to lie to me?!"

"Because he needed you more than anyone else. He needed the Council to see you as the grief stricken lover left behind. If you knew I was alive, you would have never been able to play your part."

"The trial was over months ago! He could have told me after!"

"He wasn't sure whether or not I was going to live." The Emperor took Yukimura's hand in his, kissing his knuckles. "Don't be angry, my love. We are together now and that's all that matters."

"I wish I could accept." Yukimura replied. "But there's one thing I still don't understand. Why didn't you come to me before all this happened? I could have protected you."

The Emperor froze, releasing Yukimura's hand. "After all you've seen, the fact that you still believe that should be explanation enough."

"But you could've have at least told me the truth!"

"And risk your life! Insa would have destroyed you, just like he destroyed…"

The Emperor stopped, unable to finish his sentence

"Who?" Yukimura asked carefully. "Who did Insa destroy?"

The Emperor could feel the pain and regret of the past bubbling to the surface. It had been so long since he'd thought about what happened all those years ago. And he'd certainly never talked about it.

"Whatever it is," Yukimura said reassuringly. "It won't change how I feel about you."

The Emperor searched his lover's face, trying to convince himself that what Yukimura said was true. So long he'd hidden the truth, but now that he was faced with the decision to finally reveal it, he wasn't sure he was ready.

"Don't be afraid." Yukimura said, pulling the Emperor into his arms. "You're safe now. He can't hurt you anymore."

The Emperor settled in Yukimura's warm embrace, realizing then that his lover was right. His master was dead. There was nothing to be afraid of any longer.

"Insa wasn't my master." The Emperor said, resting his head on Yukimura's chest. "The master I originally chose was a man named Xavier. He was young and fierce, and everything about him made me want to be… better. I'd never had a master before then. Never wanted one. But Xavier made me realize what I'd been missing during all my years alone."

"And what was that?"

"Companionship. Love. Happiness. He was the first person in the world that I could see myself spending the rest of my eternity with. The first person who made me… complete."

"So what happened to him?"

The Emperor swallowed, the tears starting to form. "Insa killed him."

"I'm so sorry." Yukimura whispered, kissing the top of his head.

"Xavier was training under Insa at the time he summoned me. I knew the moment I laid eyes on Insa that he wanted me; coveted me. I tried to warn Xavier, but he wouldn't listen. He trusted Insa, believed in him right up until the moment that bastard plunged the dagger into his heart."

"Why didn't you escape?" Yukimura asked softy. "Xavier's death would have freed you, right?"

"I tried, but Insa found a way to force me into a contract with him. Somehow when Xavier died, my ownership passed directly to Insa. I had no choice but to serve him."

"And you couldn't tell anyone?"

"I wanted to, but Insa threatened to take away the only person in the world I had left."

"Maeda." Yukimura whispered.

"Yes." The Emperor answered solemnly. "He swore he'd kill him the moment I stepped out of line. I couldn't risk it! Not after what he did to Xavier!"

"I understand." Yukimura said, squeezing him comfortingly. "You had to do what was necessary to protect what you loved. No one would think badly of you for that."

They sat quietly for a moment. It was as if Yukimura knew the Emperor needed a moment to get his emotions back under control.

"I'd given up on love after Xavier died." The Emperor said, finally regaining the courage to continue. "And then I saw you."

"At the feast?"

"No. I saw you before then. The day you fought that Phantom. You were incredible; so fearless. You reminded me so much of Xavier." The Emperor laughed softly. "I wanted you so badly it hurt. In nearly leapt for joy when I realized you wanted me, too."

"And the hallway…?" Yukimura asked shyly.

The Emperor thought back to the night of the feast, remembering their brief encounter in the hallway. The memory flooded his cheeks with color.

"I took a risk following you. I thought I could have you without Insa finding out. Once would be enough to satisfy my desire."

"That's why you came to me after the feast?"

"Yes. I thought I could get you out of my system if we did it once. Do you remember when I stabbed you after dinner?"

"How could I forget?!"

"I'm truly sorry about that. I did it to make Insa believe you meant nothing to me. I wanted him to think you were just another fool who'd gotten to close. If he believed I rejected you, then..."

"Then he wouldn't suspect anything." Yukimura said, finishing his sentence. "But you came back again. Clearly one night wasn't enough."

"Try not to sound so smug about it." The Emperor chuckled.

"Did you love me then?" Yukimura asked. "Is that why you gave me that tonic for my injuries?"

The Emperor groaned in embarrassment. "Maeda told you?"

"He did, but only after he thought you were dead."

"Well, I suppose there's some comfort in that." The Emperor replied in amusement. "The truth is I don't know when I fell in love with you. But you were hurting, and wanted you to heal as quickly as possible."

"So you could ravish me some more?"

The Emperor laughed again. "That and I hated seeing you in pain."

Yukimura took the Emperor's chin in his hand, lifting his head so he could place a kiss on the Bell's lips.

"Let's stop." Yukimura said. "None of this matters anymore. We're together and that's all I care about. This should be a joyous moment, not one spent reliving a past we can't change. Our lives begin today. Right now."

"Do you mean that?"

"Of course." Yukimura replied. "I don't care about your past; I only care about our future. You swore to stay by my side, and I will hold you to that."

The Emperor couldn't keep the smile off his face. This was his happy ending. After years of fear and guilt, he was finally free. Love was once again in his grasp, and he would do everything in his power to hold onto it.

Yukimura climbed to his feet, taking the Emperor's hand and lifting him from the ground. "How about that shower?" He asked, his brow lifting mischievously.

The Emperor nodded shyly, and they made their way to the bathroom, his hand tucked safely in Yukimura's.

"Just so you know." Yukimura said, turning on the shower. "I'm still going to kick Sutoku's ass."

The Emperor laughed. "I would expect nothing else."

~END