Island of Demon Mistresses

by SalinaSwathe

Every year, one boy is selected to be sacrificed to the Island, and this year, Kohaku is the one chosen. But what do they do with the boys they receive? Do they eat them? Torture them? Use them in rituals? Well... it looks like Kohaku is going to find out... Shounen ai, shotacon, hentai Requested by Professor Diamonds Fic500

Request-Fic Island of Demon Mistresses

The shackles were heavy, biting into his wrists as he walked slowly in the center of a mass of bodies surrounding him. His executioners had their faces hidden behind white cloth and dared not chance a glance at him, though that's all he yearned for. Just a look. Just one to say that he was not pitied though at the same time would be missed, but no such glance came. He sighed forlornly, unsurprised by the tear that rolled down his pale cheek.

The sound of the beach, once distant and muffled, was loud as inky waves crashed against the shore and the rocks farther out to sea. Peering past the people leading him, he could see it in the distance, its shore gray and burred by fog: Lilithin, the Island of Demon Mistresses. A sob came. He was so afraid.

His sob was ignored as expected as two hands gripped his arms and pulled him towards the sacrificial stage. It was plain and undecorated though in the darkness of night it still looked terrifying with its jagged stone form and twin poles that extended upwards from it. The sacrificial boy was stripped of his robes, down to merely his fundoshi, before his shackles on his wrists and ankles were affixed to the poles leaving him spread-eagle and facing out to sea.

He shivered, though not from the cold wind or the freezing spray, as his executioners began to chant. As the chant reached its crescendo, someone strode forward carrying a little boat made of bits and pieces of wood. They lit the candle on the boat and sent it out to sea. Oh, how the boy prayed that the boat wouldn't make it to the other island, but it was pointless. It would make it. It always made it.

Chanting done, and message sent, they left. The sacrificial boy was left alone.

When he awakened the next day, he was surprised to find that he was still chained up on the beach. Groaning, he straightened up from the position he'd put himself in when he passed out and looked around. He was still alone with not a soul -or otherwise- in sight. He busied his mind with benign facts in attempt to keep his thoughts away from the horrid and dark things emerging from the corners of his brain.

His name was Kohaku and he was the fifth of twelve children, a middle child of 14 years old, but the second oldest son. He was closest to his eldest sister Sango who was his role model when it came to her independence, wit, and skill in fighting. Kohaku shared a room with his brothers -all four of them- and a bed with his older brother. He usually spent his days training, sparring, or doing his chores, but whenever he had free time, he liked to sneak away to talk with the doctor's daughter, Kanna.

Kohaku stifled another sob. Oh, Kanna. She was younger than him, but in two or three more years he could've asked for her hand in marriage. Despite her cold and uncaring countenance, she was a wonderful and fun girl to talk with and best of all she seemed to like him back. Now, he wouldn't have that chance...

He shook his head rigorously. No! I mustn't think of what I've lost! he berated himself. It will only depress me more, and that's not the point of this exercise... Think of something else. Think of something else!

It was an exercise in futility, however, as he eventually ran out of harmless thoughts so the harmful ones quickly encroached.

What would the demon mistresses do to him? At the best they'd eat him. At worst they'd torture him. And then of course his mind filled with horrible images of the torture he'd probably face. Gore, entrails, blades, beatings, suffocation, mutilation, starvation, isolation. Would he mercifully pass out, or would they work their magic so that he would be awake and screaming through the entire ordeal?

He didn't know, but surely he'd find out soon...

Two days. It'd been two days since Kohaku had been put on that awful pedestal. Since he'd seen anyone. Since he'd had food.

He sagged in his bonds, too weak to stand any longer despite the pain his position was putting on his wrists, shoulders and back.

He couldn't even manage to flinch when a water gourd was pressed to his lips and wondrous water filled his gullet at a painfully slow, but necessary, trickle.

"That's the offering?" someone, someone male, sneered. "Well, this kingdom is doomed."

"He's just malnourished, I bet he'll plump up and be pleasing to the mistresses' eyes soon enough," the male holding the gourd grumbled. Kohaku whimpered when the water was taken from him, but couldn't manage a word. The rest of the water was poured over his head and the shackles on his wrists were inspected. "You got the skeleton key?"

"Yeah."

One arm was freed and then the next, and he was allowed to fall heavily and gracelessly to the hard floor while his ankles were freed. when they finished, the men didn't even bother picking him up, one of them just took hold of both of his wrists and dragged him off of the pedestal and across the hot sand. He grunted as he was lifted just to be dumped into the bottom of a row boat which rocked and swayed as his captors got in as well and took their seats after pushing off from the shore.

He passed out.

x~x

The world had stopped rocking when he finally reawakened.

"Ugh. He stinks," a new male said.

Someone chuckled. "Maybe Mistress Kutsia will take him?"

For some reason that made the men around him laugh, but Kohaku utterly failed to understand the joke. Not that he wanted to understand in the first place.

"So is he going to the auction or the arena?"

"Ugh, a shrimp like this doesn't belong in either. He'd die too fast to be entertainment in the arena, and he's so scrawny that none of the mistresses would even want to look at him."

"Maybe some of them would," a sultry female voice commented.

The men around him gasped at the woman's voice and fell silent after greeting her in voices full of both fear and fealty. After a moment, Kohaku felt a hand in his hair and an uncomfortable sensation in his mind. It felt as if cold tendrils were squirming around in his brain, burrowing in and writhing through his thoughts. He moaned in fear and squirmed, but the hand on him grew firm keeping him still.

"This one comes from a family of fighters," the woman commented before letting out a lewd moan. "A family of handsome fighters. When he fills out, he'll be very nice to look at. I think I'll take him."

"Take him?"

"Yes, have the overseer of the auctions send me the bill."

"Yes, mistress."

The hand left his hair. "Shackle his wrists in front of him."

Kohaku grunted as he was rolled onto his back and his wrists crossed over his stomach. He urged his eyes open, tears falling as sunlight speared into them, and looked to the woman standing over him.

He really didn't want to admit it, but this demon woman was beautiful, exotic even. She was tall to the point that the boy thought her an Amazon, and wrapped in ebony skin. Her black hair was long and done up in dreads held back by a silver scarf that rested just above her thick eyebrows. Her buxom breasts were barely contained by the strip of tanned hide she wore, and a Spartan skirt of leather hugged her wide hips and bountiful ass.

Now her demonic features were what gave him pause. Her eyes were as golden as the earrings his mother had favored, and her teeth jagged. There was even another set arms under her first giving her four hands, all of which were planted on her hips as she waited for the men to bind him properly.

"Stand him up."

Kohaku tried, but he was still too weak, his legs rubbery, his sense of balance skewed, and his vision hazy. He ended up falling back to the ground. He cried out when she reached down and grabbed the shackles, and yanked them to his feet and then into the air. Her arms were long enough that even hanging by his arms he was face to face with her. He swallowed compulsively at the angry look she was giving him. He felt the need to apologize, but his mouth just wouldn't work.

She smiled, despite everything, making Kohaku swallow again at the sight of her serrated teeth. "Apology accepted, new one. Since you've put me in a good mood, I will carry you." A hand landed on his butt and he was pushed to rest slung over her shoulder, and Kohaku grunted as her shoulder momentarily forced air out of him. She said a few more things to the men who'd transported him before turning and walking away from the docks.

The trip was a blur for him, and it didn't help that he'd blacked out a few times. When the noise level went down, he finally drew the strength to look around just as what looked like giant wooden doors closed behind the demon woman carrying him and he found himself closed into what looked like a walled off encampment of some sort.

"This is where I stop carrying you." The mistress put him down and held him firmly by his neck to keep him from falling. "You wouldn't want for everyone to think you weak, or to think that I'm favoring you; it could get you killed." When he didn't say or think anything, her grip tightened. "Say 'Thank you, Mistress.'"

He swallowed a few more times. "A-Arigatou, ahem mistress."

Another hand lifted up and pet is head. "Good boy. Let's go." She started walking forward and Kohaku was forced to go along with her at the pace of her long strides. It was difficult for him, but he managed it all the way up to another gate, this one made of cast iron and half the size of the first. Two demon women were there to open the gate, dressed much the same as the mistress ushering Kohaku along, though very different in demonic appendages. One sported large leathery wings of white and an arrow-tipped tail that waved lazily behind her, and the other had horns like that of a bull and cloven hooves where her feet should've been; there was even a large slivery hoop piercing through the septum of her nose from which dangled a delicate chain that connected to a piercing on her left ear. His eyes widened as he noticed the two other things with the soldier-looking women.

Each woman had a naked boy kneeling at their feet, bound in what looked like leather binds. The one by the winged woman looked to be about 17 years of age. He was both bound and gagged and he was practically humping the woman's leg with how close he was to her leg, and he was casting an unwavering and dreamy gaze up at the demon. She noticed Kohaku looking at her boy and put out a hand to her boy. He excitedly rose to accept the head scratch she was offering before returning to his previous position.

Kohaku looked to the other boy then, this one looked about Kohaku's age. He wasn't bound in the leather straps, now that Kohaku looked carefully, it was more of an intricate weaving meant for decoration. The boy was slouched with his head hanging very low, his arms and legs covered in bruises and a few old scars. As Kohaku watched, the boy whimpered and began rubbing his cheek along the woman's furred leg. The demon growled and snatched her leg from him. He whimpered again, and seemed to sag even lower from the rejection.

"Hm, what a well punished boy," Kohaku's demon purred. "What did he do?"

The bullish-looking demon sneered. "He made eyes at another mistress."

The boy looked pleadingly up at her. "Mis-"

"I never said you could speak, boy!"

He whimpered and dropped his gaze.

The demon woman smiled. "Enjoy his punishment; I want to enter now."

"Of course." The soldier women went to the controls on either side of the gate and operated them to open it. Kohaku was being forced forward again once there was room.

While the last area had been rather small and barren with life, this one was large, and filled with many demon women walking around and even a few men. The architecture was grand and looked like nothing Kohaku had ever seen. Many of the women stopped and glanced in his direction, curiosity and lust in their eyes. The woman with Kohaku sent a glare that kept them all away as they made their way to yet another gate.

In the next ring of walls, the architecture was simpler and there wasn't anyone walking around the short wooden houses. As they neared yet another gate, they went to one of the little houses. Without knocking, she opened the door, and there were bars making the one room the hut had a veritable cage.

"Koga."

There was movement and a light came on.

The boy was older, seeming 17 like the boy back at the second gate. His black hair was long and pulled into a ponytail, keeping the long tresses out of his light skinned face and blue eyes. He had the build of someone made for battle, his form lithe but muscular, and was clothed in only a hide skirt that hung low on his hips. He looked at Kohaku for a moment before looking back to the demon mistress.

"Yes, Mistress Urera?"

Mistress Urera shook Kohaku a little. "I just got him from the docks today, I want you to get him settled."

Koga nodded. "Cleaned, collared, and branded?"

Kohaku's eyes widened. Branded?

"No, not branded…"

Oh, thank kami.

"… I want to save that for myself. Also feed him and find where he will lay his head."

"Ginta is still in need of a roommate."

"Ah, the cute twin," Mistress said. "That would be splendid." She looked down at her little captive. "Be good." She opened the second door of metal bars keeping the boy in his hut before handing Kohaku over to him. "Take good care of him, Koga."

"Yes, Mistress." They watched the Amazon of a woman walk away back towards the gate to the extravagant architecture and the many other demons before Koga grabbed Kohaku's shackles and began towing him away from the hut.

"You should count yourself lucky," he said after maybe five minutes of walking. "You could've gotten taken up by one of the other High Demon Mistresses of the island."

Kohaku had to swallow a few times before he could manage to croak, "There's a difference?"

"Yes. The demon women here are brutal and lustful, but most other Mistresses are far worse. Just last month, Mistress Urera and her sistren took me and some other boys with them to a gathering of the High Demon Mistresses and many of them took one look at us and wanted to eat us alive. Like really alive, screaming in pain and everything. Our Mistresses protected us from them."

"And… 'ours' wouldn't… eat us?"

"Yes, though only for a special reason, and they'd kill the boy quickly first."

Kohaku found it hard to breathe for a moment.

"Calm down, it happens very rarely. I've been here nearly four years and it's only happened once, and only because the boy had broken many rules and even attempted to run away a few times. They'd gotten tired of his misbehavior and ate him in front of us as a message. Ah, here we are."

Kohaku finally took stock of where they were. They were outside of a very nice stone building. While still one-storey, it still over-shadowed all of the wooden one-room huts around easily. Before Kohaku could really give the gray building a good look, Koga was pulling him inside. They immediately came to a desk were an ogre was sitting, his expression disinterested. The older boy told the ogre his purpose and the big being nodded and rumbled as it reached under the desk and produced a key.

Koga took it and headed towards the back. They eventually made their way to a room that the older boy unlocked and pulled Kohaku into it. The room was a small wash room. The ceiling was low and the majority of the floor was taken up by an in-ground pool of steaming water. There was also a stone bench, but there was little else to furnish the room. Kohaku was pulled into the water with his fundoshi still on. The water only reached just below his butt at the deepest part.

"Wha-What…?" Kohaku stuttered as Koga took his bound wrists and drew them upwards to hook the short chain on a hook dangling from the ceiling. The height was enough to draw him to the balls of his feet, and kept him there as the light current the water had buffeted him around as Koga left the pool. "Where… ahem… are you going?"

"Relax, I'm just going to get something for your throat. I'll be back in a second." He shut the door behind him, leaving Kohaku alone.

The boy grew nervous within moments. He was closed in a room, vulnerable to anyone who would care to walk in. On a good day, in the days before his unfortunate sacrifice, he could've escaped, pulling himself up and grasping the chain the hook hung from to free himself. Now, he couldn't even begin to lift himself out of the water. He gasped and flinched when the door opened.

"I'm back," Koga said as he entered with a small white basket of various items. He set the basket in the water and removed the loincloth he was wearing. He entered the water once he was bare and waded up to Kohaku, pushing the basket along with him. He grasped the sides of the other's fundoshi. "This is a strange breechcloth."

Kohaku cleared his throat to speak.

"Oh yeah," Koga murmured. He released the undergarment and grabbed what looked like a large syringe with no needle. The taller boy loomed over him as he brought it to Kohaku's lips. "Open up."

"What- mph!" he wasn't able to rasp out his question before Koga shoved the syringe in his mouth and began to slowly depress the plunger. He barely registered a sweet medicinal taste before the fluid seemed to find its way down his throat without him needing to swallow.

"This is just a medicine to sooth sore throats. The Mistresses sometimes like hearing us scream, but don't like how it shreds our throats." He must've noticed the look on Kohaku's face because he continued. "Don't worry, the screaming is from pleasure, not pain. Now, let's get you out of your breechcloth."

"It's a fu-"

"Ssh, don't speak, the medicine has to settle." He finally figured the fundoshi out, and Kohaku was soon bare as well. Koga began to inspect him as he ran a soapy cloth over him. "You're very skinny… can see your bones." He scrubbed at his chest. "Are you from a poor family?"

Kohaku shook his head.

"Hmm." The rag moved to the other's neck and then his arms. "Feeling some muscle here. Kinda wiry, but more than I've seen on many new boys. I bet the Mistresses will love watching you fight once you bulk up just a little." He washed lower. "Modest," was his first comment as he ran the cloth over Kohaku's length. "I bet you're a grower." He rung the rag out and placed it into the basket, before grasping Kohaku's boyhood.

Kohaku gasped and kicked, splashing water around. "What are-!"

"I'm inspecting you. The more I know about your body, the less the Mistresses will bother you out of curiosity."

Kohaku shook his head, not quite understanding.

Koga gave the flesh in his hand a tug. "I am a Good Boy; that's the title that I've earned. It means that the Mistresses look for me, and other Good Boys, for an ear that'll listen, a shoulder to lean on, and a body to serve them." He grinned when Kohaku let out a little sigh as he continued to masturbate him. "It also means that we handle any new boys that come here, and you've been assigned to me. Until the Mistresses view you as a regular Boy, I'm your shield as well as your whip. I protect you from the Mistresses' wrath, but I punish you in their stead. Ah, so you are a grower."

The boy looked down, his cock still in Koga's clutches. The "modest" flesh now reached to just below his navel, the head had already take up a ruddy hue. He barely stifled his moan as Koga began to masturbate him again, continuing the one-sided conversation as if his actions were normal.

"Until you're a Boy, only Mistress Urera, who is essentially the Queen here, and her sisters, the princesses you could call them, can touch you."

"Ah~"

Koga grinned. "Like that, huh? Well, you'll be getting this and a lot more sooner rather than later." He released Kohaku's length and brought his hands up to pluck at his nipples.

Gasping, Kohaku arched into the touch.

"Sensitive nipples?" He twisted the hardening nubs between his fingers making Kohaku moan and tremble. "Oh, the Mistresses are going to love tormenting you."

The boy cried out as Koga licked one and them blew over the slickened flesh. My… my body. It feels so strange. Why is it reacting like this? He found himself widening his legs a little as Koga grasped his cock again. "Y-Yamete kudasai…!"

"You say that, but your body is opening itself to me." He reached behind Kohaku and danced his fingers along his crease before breaching and finding his entrance.

"Aah!" His cock jerked just before he came, sticky whiteness burst forth from his slit. He cried out and jerked with each spurt. With the last feeble stream, he felt weak, sagging in his binds, his head hanging, and his breaths quick. It took many moments before he could open his eyes and lift his head. He gasped.

Splatters of white coated Koga's hand as well as his stomach and a little on his chest even.

"I… I… gomen-"

"It's okay." He brought his hand up and licked away some of the splatter. "You don't taste bad." He washed his hand off in the water before picking up the rag and cleaning the rest of his body off. Once clean, he went back to cleaning Kohaku. "All done," he murmured after he finished. He helped Kohaku down from the hook that'd held him captive for so long.

Kohaku groaned and rolled his shoulders as he followed Koga from the washroom. Koga placed the basket of soaps on a table and hung up the rag as they passed their proper places on their way out of the stone bathhouse. Kohaku wondered where they were headed to next.

Koga began to speak as they made their way back along the still deserted street winding through the cage huts, as Kohaku had taken to calling them already. "The first meal hasn't happened yet, so I'll just take you to where you'll be staying."

"Will it be in one of these huts?"

"No, only Good Boys stay in these; your living arrangements aren't nearly as nice," he explained with a noncommittal shrug. "The cages for the Boys are in the innermost ring."

Kohaku balked at the thought of living somewhere worse than the huts around him, but pushed away the feeling in favor of pumping his guide for more information; it was one of the things he was trained to do after all. "Innermost?"

Koga easily flew into an explanation. "High Mistress Urera's kingdom is made up of a series of rings within each other, each with its own wall and guards at the gates. The outermost ring has the biggest walls, but least security since they can easily fend off an attack themselves. The next is where all of the demons actually live; you'll visit there a lot for your first few weeks here. Then there's this ring, the smallest of them all, where Good Boys live." They came up to the gate near Koga's hut then. "And then the innermost circle is where the Boys all live." He went up to the one demon guard and bowed to her. "I am to take the New Boy to his new home."

She grinned, and it wasn't at all pleasant. "It's been a while since we got someone new." She went to the controls and pulled a lever to get the wooden gate to open. Go on and get him settled, Koga."

"Thank you, ma'am." Koga grabbed Kohaku's chains and pulled him forward.

The innermost circle was a big field that was bare of any foliage. Rows of cages spread out before them in a strategic grid pattern, each holding two young men or less. They all looked at Kohaku and Koga as they passed by. No wait… they were only looking at Kohaku.

His cheeks flared red as he ducked his head from the scrutiny he was under, wishing his fundoshi was on him rather than folded up and draped over Koga's shoulder. Eventually, the "Boys", as they were called, began calling out to him.

"Hey, New Boy, wanna be my roommate?"

"Lookin' a little thin, I'll keep you safe til you bulk up."

"Aw, lookit him bloosh!"

"I can't wait to see him with handprints on that pale ass of his."

Eventually, it was deemed that they were too loud.

"Silence, all of you!" A roving guard shouted, and all the Boy's instantly hushed. "It's still quiet hours! Keep it up and first meal will be an hour late."

There were a few whines and groans, but Kohaku peeked up to see the boys wandering away from the bars for the comfort of pillows in their little homes. Kohaku soon noticed that the amenities in each cage varied from squalor to nigh-luxury. Some had only blankets and maybe a bucket to relieve themselves in, then others had what looked like a latrine with plumbing and a few pillows. Few had a multitude of pillows, a rug and the latrine, and even fewer with all those creature comforts and then a wooden floor, a canopy over the cage to ward off the sun, and a curtain around the latrine.

Koga spoke in a whisper. "The state of their cage depends on how well they behave. You earn favors from the Mistresses you service and you use the favors to get stuff."

"Favors?"

"Yeah, just think of it as an intangible currency. Oh, and you have to continue to be good, or you'll get it all taken away, so don't fuck over your roommate."

Kohaku looked at him. "I could make him lose everything he earned?"

"Yes. Ah, here we are."

Kohaku looked at the cages they'd stopped in front of. Both were of the few that looked rather luxurious, both sporting pillows and rugs, a curtainless latrine and a shady canopy. The one on the left held two guys, so it was the one on the right that Kohaku would be inhabiting as of today.

In his cage – he shuddered at the thought: his cage – was a boy who was near identical to one of the other boys in the cage to the left. Both carried the same heart-shaped faces with large black eyes and thin lips, and shocks of white hair cut short, though the Boy in Kohaku's cage had a dark tuft of hair centered above his forehead. They were both tanned and had lithe musculature reminiscent of Koga's and clothed in simple breech-cloths. As the cages were against one another on one side, the twins sat by that side and held hands through the bars, their shoulders touching as they leaned up against one another.

The one with the dark tuft waved. "Heyah, Koga," he said in a stage whisper. "Who's he?"

"Your new roommate." Koga turned away momentarily to garner the attention of roving guard. "Mistress? Could you open this cage?" he asked her politely.

The demon woman didn't smile or respond in anyway but to merely grunt and pull off the one key on her belt and use it to unlock the door to the cage. She held it open and gazed at Koga and him expectantly.

"Here." Koga set the folded cloth that was his fundoshi in his arms and nudged him into the cage.

"What about my chains?" Kohaku asked as he door was closed behind him and he turned to face Koga.

The older boy only shrugged. "I wasn't told that you could be out of your chains, so you'll have to wait for Mistress Urera to free you."

"Oh…" He watched Koga give him a small wave and turned to leave. He found himself watching until Koga had disappeared past all of the cages, and his cagemate's sudden movement startled him in his distracted state.

The Boy seemed friendly enough, shooting Kohaku a toothy grin as he stood and drew near to him; he was maybe a couple inches taller, forcing Kohaku to look up slightly. "I'm Ginta," he said as a greeting.

Kohaku swallowed a few times, just then remembering that despite the dryness and pain being absent from his throat, he still hadn't gotten the water he'd begged for. "Ahem I am Kohaku."

Ginta's smile brightened a bit, and without asking, he grabbed Kohaku's wrist and tugged him towards the large mound of pillows towards the back of the cage; from the corner of his eye Kohaku could see the twin in the other cage following along with them. Ginta urged the New Boy to sit on the comfortable pillows and retrieve a very large water skin from where it'd hung by its strap from a protruding bolt on the bars. "Drink some," he murmured and offered the skin.

"A-Arigatou." Kohaku took it with both hands, struggling a little as the floppy thing bended and sloshed with its full belly of water in his hands. He twisted the cork out of the only rigid part of the container and took several swallows of the tepid and oddly sweet water. He cleared his throat a few more times as he stoppered it back up and handed it back with a grateful bob of his head in lieu of a bow. "Arigatou," he said again, but this time without the slight rasp.

"Of course. Until you receive the few essentials owed to you, I have to take care of you."

"You're so responsible, Ginta," the twin in the other cage praised. His voice drew Kohaku's attention and he turned to look at the half that was missing the black tuft. The other Boy cheesed at him and waved from where he laid on the pillows in his cage, his head propped up on one hand. "Heyah, I'm Hakkaku, the older twin."

"Hajimemashita…" Kohaku hadn't meant for the words to come out as pensive as they had, but he hadn't been able to help it. Something had been bugging him since arriving at the Demon Mistress Urera's domain, and now that he was free of his nagging pains and had been rid of the dryness of thirst he could really focus on the issue.

Ginta suddenly reached down and grabbed up Kohaku's fundoshi from where it rested on his lap, but with a gasp the New Boy grabbed it and held on. Ginta only blinked before letting go. "I'm sorry, I was only going to put it away for you."

Kohaku nodded, but his gaze was focused on the other's mouth. "Your lips… they do not match your words."

Ginta grew a puzzled look, but eventually his mouth formed an "o" of realization and he chuckled. "Oh, that! You too."

"Nani? No, my words are just fine," despite the confidence in his tone, he couldn't help but to pay especially close attention to the way his mouth curved around every syllable; they indeed matched up to what he was hearing.

Ginta laughed loudly, but then caught himself; clapping a hand over his mouth and looking around for a guard to berate him for being too loud. It was only when the coast was clear that he uncovered his mouth. He smiled at Kohaku. "It's not that my lips don't match, you're simply hearing whatever language you understand. It's a spell everyone gets charmed with the moment they set foot on the island."

"Neat, huh?" Hakkaku chirped.

The New Boy made a sound of agreement, though it, again, sounded rather pensive.

"Don't worry about it. You'll stop noticing it after a few weeks."

Kohaku nodded again. He watched the older Boy move closer, and take a seat next to him on the side closer to the bars. He relaxed up against the mound of pillows with a content sigh, and took his brother's hand when it was offered through the bars. Kohaku frowned. "It's cruel that your people sent you both here."

Ginta looked at him. "No, it would've been cruel to separate us."

"Which they did try to do," Hakkaku piped up.

Kohaku cocked his head. "You both wanted to come?"

The twins nodded. "Hakkaku was chosen out of our family since he's the oldest and has already sired a child."

The New Boy's eyes widened at that. A child? But Hakkaku didn't look too much older than him, and besides, having a child to raise and support made you exempt you from the lottery, not eligible for it.

He must've been making a face, because the Boys laughed. "Our lottery process is far different from most other countries it seems. Because of the deal with the Demon Mistresses, our kingdom decided that boys are required to have a child with a chosen girl before the age of 14," Ginta explained.

"We both had ours at 12," Hakkaku mentioned.

Kohaku frowned. "But to be torn away from your child…"

Hakkaku shook his head. "The moment the girl is pregnant, she's whisked away and we never see her again unless the baby doesn't survive birth and we have to impregnate her again, or until we reach the age of 18 without being selected for the Mistresses."

"You'd have to wait 4 years to see your child, and then only if you're never selected? How awful…" He thought of going through something like that with Kanna, and grew extremely depressed.

Hakkaku shrugged a shoulder. "Not really. Most are reunited with their children since there's only one unlucky fella every 3 years."

Kohaku's eyes widened and hid mouth was left agape. "3 years?! My people have to give someone up every year!"

The Boys made pained faces. "Your leaders must've pissed the Demon Mistresses off somehow."

He shook his head. "We've been good, I swear!"

"It may have not been your current leaders. Heck, it could've been your leaders from 100 years ago that angered them."

"Even demon women hold grudges, after all," Ginta murmured.

Suddenly, someone cleared their throat. The boys all turned around and gasped at the sight of an annoyed guard glaring down at them.

Ginta and Hakkaku both rolled onto their knees, and kowtowed to the demoness. "Forgive us, Mistress, we will stop talking," Hakkaku murmured.

She grunted and looked at Kohaku.

Realizing his transgression, he too rolled onto his knees and kowtowed to her. "Fo-Forgive me, Mistress, I'm new; I'll learn the rules."

She grunted again, and with a curt nod of her head, she walked off. The boys remained on their knees until she was a sufficient distance away.

Kohaku gasped when there was a hand suddenly ruffling his hair. He looked up to see Ginta smiling at him.

"You'll do good here," he murmured before settling back on his rump, and taking his brother's hand again. "Just relax for now. Once they let us out for first meal, we'll continue our chat."

He nodded, and moved to relax as well, until he notice his fundoshi on the floor. He grabbed the cloth and stood, and began donning it. He noticed eyes on him as he dressed, and merely blushed and continued, trying to ignore the attention. He sat back down once he was done.

The twins were grinning at him.

"Nani?"

"Someone's going to enjoy watching you dress."

"Who?"

They shrugged. "Someone."

x~x

It was sometime later that he was shaken awake.

"Come on, Kohaku, time to eat."

With tendrils of sleep still gripping him tight, Ginta had to drag him to his feet, and tug him along. Kohaku just latched onto him, trying to wake up as they walked to wherever they were going, only managing it after they'd stopped. He yawned and shook his head to get rid of the rest of the cobwebs.

"There you are," Ginta chimed.

"Hmm… where are we?"

"In line for food."

Kohaku looked ahead and saw maybe ten more Boys ahead of him and Ginta, and around him were more lines of Boys to keep the meal lines from being too long. There were maybe 5 food lines that Kohaku could see. "Where is Hakkaku?"

"He went on ahead while I woke you up. You were deep, deep in dream land."

He frowned. "Gomenasai, I hope I didn't make you miss anything."

"Oh nah. The Mistresses always have more than enough food for us. Now seating. Seating's something you have to be early for, that's why I sent my brother ahead."

"Oh, okay- eep!" That effeminate squeak slipped out of him when a hand smacked his ass and proceeded to rub the heated spot.

Ginta turned around, startled by the strange sound, and scowled over Kohaku's shoulder. Before the New Boy could turn to see his assailant, Ginta grabbed his arm and pulled Kohaku in front of him. "Hands off, Aioi! He's not for you to molest."

The Boy, Aioi, smirked, making deep dimples in his cheeks. The Boy appeared to be of the same kingdom as Ginta and Hakkaku with his white locks and tanned flesh, though his eyes were a deep green that sparkled with mischief. "I just wanted to get a feel for the new meat."

"Like I said, he isn't here for you to molest!"

"Well, maybe not now, but later, after he's been fully initiated…"

The glare that formed on Ginta's face was deadly, and didn't at all fit with the personality Kohaku had come to know. "You will not touch him."

Aioi made a mock shudder, "Oo-ooo, so scary." He squared up to Ginta, matching his height, but having more bulk by way of muscle. "But all talk. You know I could mop the ground with you three times over."

"Because you fight with no honor."

Aioi shrugged a shoulder. "The Mistresses like the way I fight, why change it?"

A shadow suddenly overtook them, and a large hand landed on Aioi's head to roughly grip his hair. The cocky boy yelped in shock and pain as his hair was yanked.

"What's going on here?" the gruff voice of a demoness guard growled.

Ginta immediately inclined his head in respect to the demoness. "Forgive our disturbance, Mistress. I was protecting the New Boy from Aioi's advances."

Aioi bared his teeth at Ginta. "Snitch!" he snarled.

"A snitch he is not, he merely explained what I saw with my own eyes, Aioi." She looked to Kohaku who had frozen behind Ginta. "New Boy?" She formed a lascivious grin when he nodded. "A cute little slip of a human you are. You're gonna need all the protection you can get to keep you safe from just the Boys who will want you." She licked her thick lips. "I can't really fault Aioi for doing what we all wish we could do, but I will take him to the end of the line for doing it."

"B-But Mistress-!" Aioi cried as he was dragged away.

"It's either this, or I whip you for touching what is exclusively High Mistress Urera's."

"Y-Yes, Mistress," the Boy conceded and allowed himself to be pulled away quietly.

Ginta turned back, and he and Kohaku continued to follow the line towards the food. "She is right," he finally sighed. "You'll need to really learn how to protect yourself."

Kohaku looked down as he stepped forward. "I can fight just fine, actually…"

Ginta sniggered.

He turned on the Boy. "I'm serious. I come from a clan of fighters back in my kingdom." His gaze fell back to the ground. "I am in no way as skilled or strong as my brothers and sisters," the thought of Sango made his heart pang with sadness and longing, "but I am not weak, and I do not need protection from lecherous older boys." He moved forward again and picked up a bowl and spoon from a table. He could now smell the food ahead and his stomach growled loudly.

Ginta was quiet for a while, and it wasn't until he'd received his own bowl and spoon, and he and Kohaku both received their morning meal of sweetened oat gruel, an apple, and a strip of dried meat that he spoke again. "Okay, I'll have to test you on that later."

Kohaku managed a small smirk as he headed towards a table from which Hakkaku waved at them. "Just give me a few days to regain my energy, and then I'll do my best to put you on the ground."

Hakkaku greeted them as they sat and Kohaku noticed one other Boy at the table. This one pale with hair the color of flames, which was doing a rather good impression of fire as well. When the Boy chanced a glance at the new arrivals, Kohaku saw that he had dark green eyes, but then he quickly became reinvested in his first meal.

"Hey, what were you two talking about," Hakkaku asked and took a bite of his jerky.

"Kohaku here plans on putting me on the ground once he's strong again."

"Again?" Hakkaku looked to Kohaku. "Why are you weak now?"

The New Boy swallowed the morsel of food he had eaten. "I haven't eaten in two days, and the water you gave me was the first in two days also."

The pair and even the redhead looked to him in disbelief.

"Does your kingdom torture you before sending you off with the Mistress?" the redhead murmured, forgetting that he'd been trying to act inconspicuous just moments before.

Kohaku shook his head. "No, of course not. It's not their fault that I was left for a few days. I bet the guys who were sent to pick me were slacking off!"

The Boys looked at each other and back at the New Boy who stared back in confusion.

"Nani?"

Hakkaku spoke. "In all of the human kingdoms represented in Mistress Urera's domain, they share the custom of a Demon Mistress arriving to the kingdom to personally retrieve the chosen New Boy. Broken Boys don't go to get them."

"Broken Boys?"

"Boys that make it to an old age without becoming a Good Boy. They're not seen as desirable and their meat too tough to eat so they instead have to work. They're actually rather rare."

"Now that I think about it…" the redhead murmured, his gaze scanning the many Boys eating around them, "… there is no one here like you."

Kohaku looked around as well. "What do you mean?"

"Your features are common in your kingdom, right? Dark hair, dark eyes, light skin?"

"Hai."

"No, one here looks like you."

The twins looked around as well. "Yeah," Ginta murmured. "And if your kingdom really does give a sacrifice every year then there definitely should be more of your people here."

"Maybe your kingdom really did get in trouble with the Demon Mistresses!" Hakkaku exclaimed.

"But then… what happened to all of my people?"

Everyone grew anxious faces.

Kohaku pushed his food away. "I'm not really hungry anymore…"

Ginta reached over the table and clasped Kohaku's hand; an action that made the New Boy just a tad uncomfortable. "No, eat. You just said you haven't had food in two days, so you'd better eat every bite!"

Kohaku pursed his lips, and said nothing as he pulled his bowl back to its original position. A moment more passed before he took a bite.

Conversation picked back up at the table shortly with Ginta filling in his brother about what happened with Aioi, which prompted the older twin to promise to protect Kohaku. He reminded them again that he could protect himself, and the conversation moved onto other things. Eventually, finished their meal, and the twins led him to where they had to wash their dishes and set them on racks to dry.

"Let's take you to the Issue House," Ginta murmured as they dried their hands on provided towels.

"What's that?"

"Just a place where you're issued your first set of items."

"And then if you ever lose or damage the ones you get, you can go there and work for new stuff," Hakkaku added. "Oh, but they always issue new stuff at the end of the year."

"Seems fair."

They came to an open-air shack near the gate where there were two mistresses chatting and laughing behind the counter. They calmed as the boys approached, but their smiles did not fade. Kohaku followed the Boys' lead and bowed when they did.

"Good morning, Mistresses," Ginta greeted politely. "We would like to pick up some things for this New Boy."

Both demonesses looked to Kohaku, and he diverted his eyes as they studied him for a moment.

"Yes, we heard we got a new one today," the woman who had a decidedly sheepy look to her murmured. Her white hair was fluffy and looked akin to a mass of cotton, and the same look extended to the fur that seemed strategically placed on her body. Her red eyes were half-lidded and sleepy, but her smile was sweet. "My, you're quite cute."

The other demoness looked like a version of the first though with less wool, and clothes to make up for it. With her hair tamed, Kohaku could see small ram horns on the sides of her head that he realized the first woman had as well. Her eyes were more alert and her smile more mischievous, but nonetheless they seemed to be the same species. "Name?"

"Ah… Kohaku…"

She wrote it down on a sheet of paper on the counter and stepped away.

"Breechcloth or loincloth?" the first asked, her eyes fixed on his undergarments.

"This is a fundoshi, ma'am."

Her snowy brows knitted. "Is that any different from a breechcloth, or a loincloth?"

"Hai, ma'am."

She poked out her lips with a contemplative hum before vaulting over the counter with energy Kohaku would've thought was beyond her. "Show me."

The New Boy tensed up at the thought of bearing himself so suddenly, but shook it off. It was becoming very obvious that he would have to get used to being naked from now on. It still took him a moment to begin unknotting and unwinding the long white cloth. The ewe-like demoness watched with a heavy-eyed steadfastness and took it once he was bare.

"Hmm… are you sure you want more of these?"

He nodded. "If I can, ma'am."

She smiled. "You don't have to say ma'am so much new-y." She'd said "ma'am" in a way akin to a sheep's baa, which made Kohaku smile despite himself. Unsure if the bestial slip was on purpose or a factor of her appearance, he watched as she went back behind the counter just as the other woman returned with a bundle of items in her arms.

"Water skin, blanket, sleeping mat, and three more sets of garments," the second sheep woman glanced towards the back where the first had disappeared, "once more can be found."

Ginta helped Kohaku get everything in his thin arms. "Arigatou. Um… may I-"

"You'll get back the first garment along with the other three later."

"O-Okay…"

The twins bowed in his stead before they all said their farewells and headed back to their designated cage to put his new items away. Ginta set Kohaku's blanket on top of his own, and added the sleeping mat to the pillow nest. "Now let's go fill this," he murmured as he threw the strap of the new water skin over Kohaku's neck and then grabbed his own. "We'll head to the blacksmith afterwards."

Kohaku perked up. "To get my shackles taken off?"

Ginta shook his head. "Mistress Urera will unlock you when she feels you deserve to be unlocked. No, we're going to the blacksmith to get you a weapon."

"We're allowed weapons?" He found himself looking around, but other than the demon mistresses, no one had weapons.

"Yeah, our bodies aren't the only source of entertainment to the Mistresses," Hakkaku chirped. "They love to watch us fight!"

"Honto?"

"Yeah. Slashing and bludgeoning weapons only though."

"We're you trained to use any weapons?" Ginta wanted to know.

"Hai. The kusarigama."

The twins both paused, their gazes trained on him.

"The wha…?"

"The… kusarigama…"

Hakkaku shook his head. "Nope, that still didn't make any sense. Are you sure that's a word?"

"It is."

Ginta got them to keep walking. "Well, what does it look like?"

"It's a sickle with a long chain attached to the bottom."

Hakakku smiled. "Sounds cool. Kususarigana, right?"

"Ku-sa-ri-ga-ma," Kohaku corrected.

"Kusarigama. Got it. Got it."

"Well, maybe Mistress Peli will enjoy making something other than swords and staffs."

They stopped at the end of a line that Kohaku saw a large well at the head of. It looked rather well maintained with neat stones making up its body, and then a wooden roof over it. There was one Mistress standing guard by it. Her butt planted on the edge of the stone body as she watched Boys pull up the bucket and fill their water skins using a funnel that was there as well. There were five Boys ahead of them, so the trio wouldn't have very long to wait.

"What is you weapon of choice?" Kohaku asked.

"Cestuses," they chorused.

"They're special gloves mostly," Ginta explained.

"So, you beat your opponents into submission," the ravenet murmured.

"Yup, and if they happen to use a bladed weapon, the gloves can be used to block as well. Other than that, we can both wield a simple staff."

By then they were at the front and the Mistress, whom Kohaku now noticed had legs like that of a hawk and feathery wings folded around her in the semblance of a cloak, watched as they helped each other fill their skins. "Can you use any other weapons?"

"No, though I've always wanted to wield hiraikotsu like my onee-chan." He handed the funnel over to Hakkaku and stoppered his water skin. "It's hard to explain, but it's a huge crescent-shaped weapon made of fused-together demon bones."

"Demon bones?"

Kohaku nodded. "Parts of my home kingdom still see attacks from bestial demons. They're what my family is employed to fight. My kusurigama was also made from demon bones, but with a metal blade embedded in one of the edges to make it better at slashing. Anyway, the hiraikotsu is thrown to cause damage. It's all bludgeoning, but it's very effective."

"And your sister uses this? Wow."

They finished up and bowed to the hawk Mistress before heading towards where the blacksmith was. It was at the very center along with sparring circles and even a small med-area for those hurt while training. The blacksmith – or Master Blacksmith as Hakkaku suddenly remembered to tell Kohaku as they drew near- looked like the bull Mistress from the second gate, though bigger, perhaps 6 and a half feet tall. Her long hair was pulled back in a high-ponytail with the sides of her head shaven short, and she also had a septum hoop. In lieu of real cloths, she just wore a thick apron and leather gloves for protection. Her mouth was pulled down in a permanent sneer as she hammered away at something before dunking it in a barrel of water with enough force to splash a Boy who was kneeling next to it. She growled and pushed it over suddenly, spilling its contents all over the Boy. "Refill," she growled before turning and adding more wood to her forge. The Boy murmured a soft, "Yes, ma'am," before grabbing a yoke and two buckets from a dusty corner and heading towards the well.

Hakkaku jerked a chin in the drenched Boy's direction after he'd gotten some distance away. "That's what happens when you don't take good care of the weapons she makes for you."

"You become her errand boy for the day or at least until someone else shows up with a poorly maintained weapon," Ginta added. He drew nearer to the big woman. "Mistress Peli?"

She grunted and turned to face them.

"I have a New Boy here who needs a weapon."

She looked at Kohaku then, her eyes narrowed in scrutiny. She scoffed through her nose. "Weapon? No pierce."

"A kusurigama, ma'am."

Her heavy brow knitted in confusion. "What?"

"A kusu- a chain-sickle. It's like a farmer's sickle with a chain."

She grunted. "Fake. Stop joke. Real weapon?"

Kohaku sighed at hearing doubt about his weapon for the second time in as little as twenty minutes. "Very well, if you can't make that, then I guess I'll learn to use a sword."

Mistress Peli growled, and the twins both took two steps away. Kohaku blinked and suddenly a large hand wrapped around his throat and dragged him forward. The demoness roared in his face and he screamed in fear and confusion. What had he said? What had he done wrong?

"Boy wrong! Peli make anything! Any weapon!"

Kohaku shook his head, realizing then what he'd done to set the scary bull-woman off. "G-Gomenasai! Gomenasai! I didn't mean that you couldn't make it. Just that you won't. Gomenasai. I'll just get a sword or something."

Mistress Peli grunted and released a steamy puff of breath through her nose. "Kusu weapon. Real?"

"Hai, it's what I was taught to use back home."

She grunted again and let go of his neck before turning and going to an area with shelves and chests. Ginta and Hakkaku returned to his side while she searched around for something. "This is where we leave you," Ginta announced.

"You're leaving me? But-"

"Mistress Peli will keep you here while she makes your weapon. It'll be a few hours."

"Probably more since she's never made a kususarigama before," Hakkaku added.

"When you're done here, just go back to the cages. Koga will probably come for you sometime later today. You remember how to get there?"

Kohaku nodded.

"Good, well, see you later." With that the two boys turned and left.

Mistress Peli returned and shoved a few sheets of paper and a stick of graphite into his hands. "Draw kusu weapon. Peli make." She pointed to a three legged stool a good ways away from the forge and the ravenet promptly planted his ass on it and began sketching while Peli went back to another project. The other Boy returned then with the buckets of water. As he stepped back into the smithing area, he stumbled over a loose stone that made up the floor. Kohaku stood and placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

"No help!" the bull Mistress yelled, and Kohaku snatched his hand away and looked to her. She pointed at him and then the stool, "You! Draw!" and then at the other Boy and the still overturned barrel, "You! Fill!" Both boys quickly went about their assigned tasks, and she returned to her work.

At first, Kohaku drew what his own kusarigama had looked like, which wasn't very fancy. Just a large, thick crescent with a leather wrapped handle. It was simple, because he hadn't yet earned the right to wield a nicer one. When that was done, he found himself drawing a kusarigama he'd seen a more experienced Yokai taijiya wield. This one was sharper, more rugged and deadly-looking. If he remembered correctly, it even had an etching in it. As he stopped to think about what the etching was, he realized how quiet it had become.

He looked up, and gasped when he saw Mistress Peli looming over him. She continued to stare down at his rendition of kusarigama, unaware that the human was gazing at her as she shoved her ponytail back behind her, and braced a hand against the support beam to lean a little closer.

"Draw good."

"Arigatou."

"This kusu weapon?"

"Hai."

She took the paper then and turned back to her forge. "Peli make kusu weapon. Like second." She set the picture nearby, and began searching for materials.

Kohaku sat quietly as the woman worked diligently on the new weapon. So diligently, in fact, that the boy who she'd been punishing had gone ignored; maybe he'd been forgotten all together.

He realized he'd dozed off when a loud bell rung in the distance. Mistress Peli stopped working and stretched before looking at Kohaku. "Eat and come back." She looked to the other Boy. "Eat food here. Bring my food too."

The Boy stood up, murmured the usual, "Yes, ma'am," and shuffled off. Kohaku soon followed.

By the time he got there, there were no more seats, and he couldn't find the twins, so he just found a grassy spot to eat. When he was done, he headed back.

Mistress Peli had taken the stool he'd been assigned, and was busy eating a larger portion of what he'd just eaten. Though she ate with her hands, she was rather neat about it, and even wiped her hand clean on a cloth napkin to reach for a tankard of something. Probably ale or wine. It was during a swig that she noticed him, and waved him over. When he was close enough, she grabbed him and set him on her knee. He thanked her for the seat, and she grunted and shoved a bit of meat into his mouth. When she was done, she tossed her bowl in the other Boy's general direction, and gave Kohaku back his seat before grabbing her tankard and going back to work, taking a few sips here and there.

Eventually, his eyes wandered to the parchment and graphite stick on the floor. "Mistress Peli."

She grunted, but didn't stop working.

"May I draw some more?"

She grunted again, but this time looked at him over her shoulder. "Draw more not fake weapons."

"Yes, ma'am." He grabbed up the materials and began to work.

It was sometime later that it once again grew quiet, and he looked up to see the Mistress looming over him. She noticed his attention quickly this time however. She pointed. "No human could use," she said, indicating the picture he'd drawn of Sango and her hiraikotsu.

He nodded. "My onee-san is actually very skilled with this. It's lighter than it looks, because it's made out of bone and not metal."

"Bone?"

"Hai. My family is a clan of demon hunters, because we still get attacked by awful monsters, so most of our weapons are made from their bones."

She nodded and pointed again, though this time at Sango. "Sister?"

"Hai."

"Strong." She gave a curt nod and went back to her forge.

"There you are."

Kohaku jumped at the new voice and looked up to see Koga strolling over. "Hello, Koga."

The Good Boy gave him a large smile before addressing Mistress Peli. "Forgive me, Mistress, but Mistress Urera asks that I steal away the New Boy."

The bull of a woman looked at him and gave a frustrated nasal grunt before looking to Kohaku for a moment. She huffed again before turning back to her work with a dismissive wave.

The ravenet stood, gave a quick bow, and followed Koga away.

"I met up with the twins on the way to get you. They said you're having Mistress Peli make an interesting weapon."

Kohaku just shrugged. "It's only interesting because you've never seen it before."

Koga grinned. "Never the less, just this little thing has probably gained you favor with her; she enjoys a change of pace."

"Well… I'm glad she's happy."

Koga looked to him with raised eyebrows. "Truly?"

He shrugged again. "Someone has to be happy."

That made the Good Boy laugh. "You will do well here."

They fell into a comfortable silence wherein Kohaku remembered his lack of dress, and grew self-conscious once more, especially when they passed through the gate into the ring where the Mistresses lived and the demonesses took note of his bare body as well.

They eventually came to what could only be described a stone fortress built out of the mountain that encroached onto Mistress Urera's domain. It was as grand as it was foreboding with dark stone and wood outcroppings and bright green foliage draped here and there. They mounted the wooden stairs that lead up to the high double doors, and Koga pulled a bell rope for entry.

The door creaked open and a rather short demoness peeked around. Her skin was dark, and her hair darker and worn down, reaching the floor with its length. Her eyes were golden and ears pointed with many earring decorating them, and in lieu of actual clothing, she wore many necklaces to cover her humble chest and what looked like layers of lace over her groin like a poor excuse for a skirt. She grinned showing off sharp teeth much like Urera.

"You must be the New Boy." She pushed the door open wider, and Kohaku could now see her small bat-like wings and a long arrow-tipped tail. "Come on in."

Koga bowed and Kohaku did as well. "Thank you, Mistress Kailu."

She giggled and bounced off into the darkened interior. The boys entered as well, and the door snapped quietly shut behind them. Koga seemed to know where he was going, so Kohaku just followed him, his eyes squinted until they adjusted to the dim light.

It began to brighten as they drew nearer to a room lit by candles, and Kohaku had to blink rapidly as they entered it.

This room was a throne room of sorts, that was obvious from the low, fur and velvet covered throne Mistress Urera herself sat in, though the room was quite small and rather intimate. There was another demoness there as well, probably a sister as she shared the same demonic traits, the four arms and such, though she seemed quite a deal friendlier than Urera. Her black hair was done in many tiny braids that she had pulled back in a high ponytail, and she wore a loose cloth dress that seemed ready to slip right off her slender form, though perhaps that was the point of it.

She grew an excited grin and bounced up in down in her seat which was the armrest of the throne. Urera just grinned and placed a hand on her knee to calm her. She opened her eyes then and calmly gazed at the boys quietly. Kohaku just stood there, his head bowed under her scrutiny, wondering what would happen as nothing continued to occur. Eventually he noticed Koga kowtowing next to him, and mimicked the posture.

The High Mistress chuckled and rose from her seat. "Good newling. I knew you'd figure it out." Her feet came into view, and she nudged one closer to Koga until the Good Boy began lavishing it with attention with his mouth and hands. "What have you learned?"

Koga slowly made his way up her leg. "He's rather subservient and seems like he'll be eager to please. Mistress Peli seems already fond of him, and there were many other Mistresses who whispered about him."

"And his body?"

"A nice cock and sensitive nipples. Virgin."

She chuckled. "Aren't they all when they first get here?" She took back her appendage. "Go to Frie, she's eager to be with you."

Koga rose and moved closer to the excited demoness who had already slipped the baggy dress to pool below her ample breasts. She tackled him to the ground and ripped off his hide skirt before attacking his lips with hers.

Urera paid the pair no mind. "Follow me. I'd like to spend some alone time with you." She walked off towards another door that was partially obscured by a curtain. Kohaku quickly followed her.

The new room was just as warm and intimate as the throne room with burgundy curtains spilling on the floors, a small fire place in a stony corner and candelabras lighting the space, though the table at the center of the room stole away some of the comfort.

Mistress Urera sighed as she undid the tanned hide to free her breasts. Kohaku's eyes widened at the sight before he diverted his gaze.

"Don't be shy, you'll be seeing a lot more of me soon enough."

His face reddened and he sagged his head a little more.

She chuckled again and rested against the table. "So, you've had a taste of what your life will now be under my control. Questions?"

Kohaku swallowed a few times, nervous. He actually had a lot of questions, some of them harder to ask than others. "Why do you collect us as payment? Why not gold? Or food?"

Her grin was cruel. "Because we can. Because, as you'd expect, we prefer scared little boys to stubborn men or simpering human females." Her smile widened. "Because you're a source of nourishment for some of us."

He went pale and felt cold.

Mistress Urera shrugged one ebony shoulder. "Not me and mine, but some of us. We also have no need of food or gold; we're rather self-sufficient."

"Is that… is that what happened to all those before me? The boys from my kingdom?"

"Were they eaten? Is that what you're asking?"

Kohaku managed to nod though he'd gone numb.

Mistress Urera didn't answer promptly. She placed her hands on the table and hefted herself up to sit on it, her legs splayed wide. "Come here, new one."

Lips pursed in anxiety, he did as he was told, and let the four-armed woman draw him into an embrace betwixt her thighs. He gasped as her lips smashed into his and began to plunder his mouth with her tongue. It took an amazing amount of will to keep from biting her as the slimy muscle explored the orifice and bullied his tongue which was curled up at the back of his mouth like a startled cat.

She pulled away with a low, femme chuckle, and yanked him over her lap. "Your kingdom did a very… ill-advised thing… oh… 300 or so years ago," she began as she arranged him to lie across her lap comfortably, anchoring him there with two strong hands. Kohaku blushed as his bare cock pressed against her warm thighs, and the redness crept lower as a third hand landed on his rear. Urera kneaded the small fleshy mounds, and a finger sneaked into his crease. He tensed but she kept going.

"The original Demon Mistresses descended upon this realm and demanded the fealty of the 12 kingdoms that surrounded this vast sea." She grinned as her finger retreated and returned moments later slick with a substance that made it easier for the digit to slip into him. "Of course, you foolish humans fought us. Many kingdoms surrendered when they saw that they were no match for us, but many, also, continued to fight in vain."

Kohaku swallowed, suddenly feeling a warmth in his core that distracted him from the story. He shivered and tried to focus on her words, but another distraction came in the form of a second finger prying into him. He yelped and gripped the table, willing himself not to fight her.

Mistress Urera continued. "The battle didn't last very long, and in the end, there were three kingdoms that had to be completely beaten to submission."

"U…Us…" Kohaku managed to gasp as the warmth turned into a burn and his modest manhood thickened and firmed, though could go nowhere as it was trapped against the demoness' thigh. He moaned plaintively.

"Yes. And two kingdoms were completely annihilated. One of which we built our own city atop the ruins and enslaved any who were left." Her fingers slipped from him and he sighed, both relieved of the loss and missing it. He panted and lifted his head, wondering what the Mistress was doing.

There was a small clay pot on the table next to her as well was a small basket; he had no idea when those items had ended up there. Mistress Urera picked up the pot and dipped two fingers in the pinkish cream in it. The pot was set back down and the fingers bearing the liniment returned to his hole and breached him again. The warmth, which had been subsiding, returned to full force.

The cream's doing this? He gasped as she moved her fingers within him as if searching. He shook his head again, trying desperately not to fall into the fog that was overtaking him. "M-Miss…? Story?"

She hummed and continued. "The kingdoms that surrendered early on got it easy; easier depending on how fast they surrendered. But kingdoms like yours however…"

Kohaku swallowed. "Penalties."

"Harsh penalties. The three kingdoms pay tribute to us more often…"

Once a year…

"…the tributes receive a crueler initial treatment…"

Left to starve for two days…

"… and are typically taken to the abattoir."

A wrinkle formed between his brows. "The what- Ahn!?" He yelped when the long fingers inside him seemed to find what they were looking for, and proceeded to torment it. Writhing in pleasure, Kohaku found himself struggling both to get away and to get more; Mistress Urera clamped down harder on him to keep him from falling out of her lap.

She pulled her fingers free and gave his small butt a quick swat, making him yelp. "The slaughterhouse."

Despite the warmth of the salve, the new boy felt cold. That dried meat this morning…

"We don't feed the human meat to you~" she cooed, having read his thoughts.

He fell limp with relief.

The ebony demoness stroked his back. "Stay like this. Nice and relaxed." She readjusted him to have his legs wide, and spread his cheeks. Something blunt pressed against his slickened hole and the Mistress began pushing it into him. He gasped and tensed.

"Stay relaxed or this will hurt."

The order seemed impossible to Kohaku, but he tried to obey, his desire to not feel pain in such an intimate place ranging on desperate.

"Relax."

"I-I'm trying…" he whimpered. He felt a slight twinge as he stretched to accommodate the intrusion. With the aid of the lubricant, it slipped inside, and he could only gasp. Suddenly full, he fell limp once more over the demoness' lap, breathing deeply.

A sultry rumble came from the female as she gently stroked his back, and ass, her long fingers slipping between his cheeks to touch the object nestled inside of him. She pressed and wriggled it, the object bumping the strange spot in him, and making his toes curl. A tingle and low burn formed in his groin which had softened slightly from the invasion. A moaning sigh slipped from him as Mistress Urera reached under him to capture his cock in a warm fist.

She chuckled and rearranged the human to sit straddling a muscular thigh. The object was pressed as far as the flared base allowed, and he rocked a little without thinking.

"So fun, you're one of the cuter boys. You'll be popular."

"Popular?" With the other demon mistresses?

"Yes," she answered the unasked question, her hand still working his modest length. "Keep rocking," she ordered when he'd stopped.

He did as he was told and she formed a closed-mouth smirk. With one hand on his hip and another still stroking him, her free hands came up to play with his nipples. He arched into the touch as they hardened to points. His core grew hotter and tightened.

It's happening again, he thought in dismay. He shuddered. Just like with Koga…

All of her hands moved faster then. Twisting and pinching his nipples and working his length towards completion.

"Ah!" He was reaching his apex when Mistress Urera suddenly stood and laid him out on the table, her hand still moving all the while. Two hands reached somewhere out of view, but Kohaku was too close to care.

She palmed his testes. "Come now, newling."

With an arch and a cry, he climaxed on command. The wanton yell turned into a pained scream as something seared the area behind his left ear. Orgasm forgotten, he tried to get away, but he was held in place until the demoness finally stopped the burning assault.

Tears streaked his cheeks and he sniffled. "Wha- What was that?"

Mistress Urera didn't speak. She made him turn his head, and a cool salve graced the blistering spot, soothing it quickly much like the medicine for his throat had. When she was done, she helped him to sit up and held up a polished metal mirror for him. It was weird seeing his reflection after so long. He was gaunt now, and had bags under his eyes, but he pulled his attention away from that and turned his head to look at the area that'd been burned.

Hidden partially behind his ear was a small, intricate brand. It looked like a sideways eye with a blooming rose behind it, and a somewhat delicate and flowing scrawl surrounding it. "What is it?" He went to touch it, but his hand was batted away.

"My brand," she murmured, running her fingertips down his cheek. She turned his head to look at her. "Now, you officially belong to me and the kingdom of Arati."