Disclaimer: I own Taitsu and Tohma.
Yoru: Well, I'm uploading another chapter to "redeem" myself. Someone (anonymously) told me that my story was good until Taitsu started raping Kuronue. Maybe you weren't following the story well, but that's what Taitsu has been wanting to do since Chapter 3 or so.
Kuronue: So it's not like we weren't leading up to it. For God's sake, at the end of chapter 8, Taitsu had Kuronue tied down on the bed!
Yoru: Besides that, it was a review signed by "anonymous". If you're going to give a bad review, I'd really like it to be signed so that I can reply to it. I can't respect it if the reviewer doesn't give at least some kind of name and email; I can only scoff at it. And don't you dare patronize me, anonymous person. Hoping I "redeemed" myself. For the love of peace.
Kuronue: She really doesn't mind bad reviews, especially if they have a good reason. But SIGN THEM, or at least give an email address.
Yoru: Thanks to the rest of you. I love you guys! And don't worry, I have PLANS for Taitsu…and throughout this story you've seen how sadistic I can be…also, Tohma is Youko's second in command in this fic, not Yomi. Just to let you know.
Yomi sensed Tohma before he saw him, so he kept his eyes trained on the castle and the sleeping Kuronue. Youko had left shortly after the sex, but why Yomi didn't know.
"I can't believe he'd do this to us." Tohma stood beside Yomi, watching the castle.
"Do you think we should go confront him?"
"No. Not if this is his choice." Tohma's eyes narrowed, "And something doesn't seem right."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean Youko wouldn't do this. He would tell someone." Tohma started to move closer to the castle.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to try to contact Kuronue."
"Kuronue? Why?"
"I think something's wrong with Youko and Kuronue will know what it is." Tohma disappeared into the foliage.
Kuronue stretched. Casting about, he finally located his clothes, which were haphazardly strewn around the room. Until today, Kuronue hadn't felt strong enough to pick them up. Pulling on his pants, he headed for the door. As he expected, it wasn't locked. Taitsu would never let him leave the castle, but for the ruse to work, Kuronue couldn't seem like a prisoner.
Kuronue smirked. Taitsu's overconfidence would be to Kuronue's advantage.
"Youko?" he called out as he wandered the hallways. He hated to call his rapist by that name, but he wasn't sure how closely the castle was being watched by the bandits. Suddenly a hand clamped over his mouth, pressed him to a warm body, and dragged him into a room. The hand released his mouth, and then he was spun around to face Youko's second in command, Tohma.
"Tohma? Why would you sneak in here?"
"To get a look at you and figure out what was wrong with Youko." Tohma's dark eyes scanned Kuronue's form, making him wish he'd put on a shirt.
He took a deep breath, "I'm fine and nothing's wrong with Youko."
"Too bad your body betrays you. You're covered in bruises, Kuronue."
"He gets a little rough sometimes…" Suddenly Kuronue was pressed against Tohma's chest in a strong hug.
"You can tell me what's going on, Kuronue."
Kuronue couldn't help it. He cried.
"So Taitsu took over Youko's body?" Tohma couldn't believe what he was hearing. Kuronue's face was still buried in his shirt, and he was loath to let the Chimera go after the story he had been told. Tohma hadn't even approved of the way Youko had treated Kuronue in the first place, and what Taitsu was doing was certainly unforgivable.
"And he's been using me…" Kuronue's muffled voice was still laced with tears. Tohma sighed and held him a little tighter.
"I can't get us both out of here. Only Youko's that good. But Yomi and I will lead a frontal assault…"
"And do what? Kill him?"
"Isn't he already dead?"
"Not according to Taitsu. He said that he wanted Youko to watch the remainder of his life from inside." Kuronue pulled away from Tohma's chest, meeting his eyes, "Isn't there a way to get him out?"
"Not that I know of, Kuronue."
"Touching reunion, Tohma."
Both turned to see Youko lounging in the doorway. Tohma shoved Kuronue behind him.
"You're Taitsu, aren't you?"
"So the bat spilled it all, then? I'll deal with you later," Taitsu said to Kuronue, who shivered.
"I'm taking him with me," Tohma snarled. Taitsu barked a laugh.
"You really think so?"
Before Tohma could dodge, Taitsu had lunged and grabbed him by the throat, slamming him against the wall. Tohma fought desperately as Taitsu lifted him a good two inches off his feet.
"I'm going to kill you as Youko watches within me."
Tohma! No! Let go of him, Taitsu!
He tried to steal my precious Chimera, Youko. He's as good as dead.
Please, he's my best friend…
An even better reason to kill him.
Taitsu, you're going too far!
When you are able to do something about it, we'll see.
Kuronue was frozen for a moment until he saw Tohma's face turning blue. Then he forced himself into action. Throwing himself at Taitsu, he slammed into his back. Tohma was dropped to the ground, where he knelt, coughing.
Kuronue leaped on Taitsu, pinning his wrists and holding him down, "Tohma! Run!"
He watched as Tohma stood agonizingly slowly, and then took off toward the door.
"I'll be back for you!" he heard as the bandit ran down the hall. At that moment, Taitsu kicked Kuronue off. Before the Chimera could stand, a foot drove hard into his ribs. He cried out as several cracked. A hand closed over his jaw, yanking him up.
"You little bitch. You want to die so badly?" Taitsu slammed Kuronue into a wall, "I can oblige you."
Kuronue pulled at the hand fastened around his chin, but it wouldn't budge. Taitsu leaned in and claimed his lips in a painful, bruising kiss.
"Let's see how Youko takes your death."
Taitsu…don't….
His purpose is finished, and I'm angry.
Don't kill him…
Hear his whimpers as I crush the life from him?
Stop it…stop it or I swear I'll kill you again!
Kuronue's struggles were getting weaker as Taitsu's hand closed over his windpipe. Revulsion overtook his senses and gave him new strength as Taitsu slid a hand down his pants.
"I'm going to kill you, Chimera. But first I'm going to make sure there's no innocence left."
Kuronue kicked out, glancing off of Taitsu's nether regions. The evil creature pulled away, clutching his wounded parts. Kuronue fell to the ground, coughing. He knew he was dead, but he wouldn't go down without a fight…
Suddenly vines wrapped around his arms and legs, pulling him up and holding him spread eagle. He fought desperately, reminded so forcefully of Youko that he could hardly stand it.
"No…let me go!"
A cold hand slid into his pants again, stroking him.
"In my anger, I forgot how much fun you were, Kuronue. I apologize. But I'm still going to kill you, just to make my brother scream."
Kuronue struggled madly, tears threatening his eyes again. Why didn't Taitsu just kill him and get it over with?
And then suddenly, he knew.
TAITSU!!!
Oh, shut up.
I'm coming, Kuronue!
Stop lying to your---
Suddenly Taitsu stopped groping Kuronue and staggered backward, clutching his head. The vines dropped Kuronue, who scrambled backward, wide-eyed. What in the world was happening?
"This isn't your body anymore! It's mine! Get back, you stupid prick!" Taitsu fell to his knees, still clutching his head. Kuronue didn't know what to do.
Blinding agony suddenly sliced through him. A vine with a sharpened end had thrust itself through his stomach. He screamed and bent double. Taitsu's insane laughter and abruptly singsong voice filled his ears. He felt blood gushing from him in torrents as the vine pulled out and withered away.
"You see? I still killed him! You'll come out, oh yes, but you'll be allllll alone!" Taitsu crawled over to Kuronue and flipped him over, running his fingers over the wound and licking the blood, "I win! I win, Youko, no matter what you do!"
It was then that, through an agonized haze of fear and tears, Kuronue saw it. Youko's form was splitting in two, one side solid and the other translucent.
Youko was coming back.