Ch 17

Glass and chemicals were swiped across the table as a frustrated growl pierced the air. "WHY!"

How many times had he gone through with it? She was the perfect candidate, but she kept waking up. He couldn't coax the shadow forth, but instead, it felt as hollow as the woman it'd left behind. That negative energy ceased to free itself when he provided blood. The primordial power of her clan was indeed powerful, but it seemed like the shadow was as stubborn as his wife had been. He'd underestimated its strength and endurance. Like a living essence, it fought his mind games, tricks, and reason. "It's its own damned living force."

The demon lored fixed his rage-filled gaze on Feng Jiu. He was losing hope.

Int turn, Feng Jiu clutched her hands over her heart frozen in place. "It is indeed. All-consuming," she agreed.

His eyes settled on her a few feet away. Despite the months, she'd endured, the girl had not once run away. What game is she playing at, he often found himself wondering. If the shadow didn't rise, he hoped to take her as a bride anyway. To do such a thing, he had to break the power of this so-called bond. Hence, he used his own blood and magic to bend her to his will. In all his years he'd seldom found anything as tough to endure as this damn bond.

After dealing with it sometime now, it seemed as if the two parts-once bound together-really never severed. Could they really be two parts of one being at that time? He'd thought over it, but this was the conclusion. Then what they've said they either knew or felt, he thought as he let the rage settle in his chest.

"What is worse than no choice in a mate? Do you want this, truly?" He asked her skeptically.

Feng Jiu relaxed her hands, "what choice is there? They said we are two parts of one whole."

"And you nearly died. Do you want to die?"

"Well, no..."

"Then join me."

He didn't need daughters, and being an outsider, would only have sons with Feng Jiu. With enough sons, they could take ghost tribe women as wives and re-birth his clan. Over such vast time, many of the traits that demons had, entered the clan and replaced the gentler of traits. Now, the Ghost tribe was just a weaker version of Demon Tribe. There were so few direct ghost tribe decedents that were pure. The last great war was proof of that. Just like him, Mo Yuan had given him the Bell Tower as a show of peace. Didn't they understand the Yin and Yang? No god could exist without his opposing demon.

Feng Jiu was proof of such a balance. Her power was rich and thick as if living essence flowed through her. Everything about her was compatible with her match, Dong Hua. Likewise, as they were of the Gods, he was their natural nemesis as a Demon. Combined with his age and power, and a little help from blood magic, he was sure to be able to have stable children. To hate what one was born as was a waste of time. Exercising control over that was another thing.

"You can be free," he said singsonged.

"You hurt and poison everything you touch," she muttered.

"And they don't with their rules an ways?"

"I am a fox too, you know. I never got to live that life. Just this, and my human self."

"Your fox is a means to an end. Nothing is more powerful than a phoenix."

"Happiness is not always in the fire, nor the power," she whispered

"You need to take power to have happiness."

She rebutted, "power means you are alone, then you use everything. People are always trying to be you, get rid of you, so on and so forth."

"Then be stronger than them."

His chest heaved as his anger wanned. I'll just have to break her, he thought carefully. Feng Jiu is proving to be very stubborn and its taxing, he thought irritated. Systematically, it was not hard. Time was not on his side, however. After two solid months, he'd had to move her several times due to her power. A power like theirs was not hard to detect, but hers was like a beacon. The longer he kept her away from her other half, the worse it got. He knew the girl must be suffering this distance, and in that, so would Dijun. At least there was confront in this, he thought.

With a sigh, he cut his palm and sat next to the girl on the bed. She looked frail and worn, but mentally he could sense she was alert. For a woman, she was mentally robust. His fingers closed over her nose and forced her lips to part so that she couldn't breathe. When her mouth opened for air, he shoved his bleeding hand in and waited for her to drink. By this time, she was addicted to it and had stopped fighting it.

If I cannot break her, I will bend her, he kept telling himself. Despite his thoughts, a rush filled him as she sucked the cut. I've gotten her this far, he presumed. Another month or two, he could begin to coax her freely. His demon aura would corrupt hers, and her mind would fail to remember some of its past.

Once she was stable enough to remain awake without running, I will begin to mate with her, he thought. If the woman he loved was truly gone, he needed to get rid of the bond lingering in Feng Jiu, but at this rate, he could only counter it. It also meant that they'd won and really taken his wife for good. This one, she wouldn't suspect he'd done anything to bend her will, and the addiction would make her welcome him after a time. At this point, Feng Jiu would never be what she once was. Even if he failed, she would perish without a steady diet of his blood.

"He won't come for you. If he tries, he will endure pain. Everyone else will die if he gives in. The core is meant as compensation for my clan and my wife. No one would endure it. You Gods use the same methods," he laughed at the stupidity. "He really thought I would just give up? There is no peace without war. There is no prosperity without death."

Feng Jiu couldn't help resisting the power of his voice. "There is no peace without war. There is no prosperity without death."

He laughed, "I was weak then-not even a threat. It is best if you end the bond with him. Shut it down and bury it." He coaxed in her ear, "He made a vow for all life. Do you want to make everyone else suffer?" He laughed inwardly. Most likely not. She'd self-sacrifice for the greater good as all of them did. At least until she became corrupted by the darkness he stirred. "You would desire him so much to ruin all else for it? How does that make us any different? I know the degree you long for him."

Feng Jiu's will stirred and felt the metallic taste in her mouth ignite all her nerves down to her toes. Though she hated it, something in his blood was intoxicating. Though her mind warned her against swallowing, it felt like all the pain seemed to go away. Being away from Dong Hua so long, Feng Jiu wasn't sure she remembered him clearly anymore. And if she had, what good would it do? There has to be something else...

A plan, yes, she thought. But then what was it?

The action was oddly intimate, and though she struggled at first, she was unable to resist its power. When he did this, her body responded like it had with ...someone. Not to the same extent, but the same places. But who was it again? The name was on the cusp of her mind, "What is this feeling?"

"You are too young to resist me," he cooed in her ear softly. "Are you even old enough to know what lust is? Don't you feel drawn in and toward me? give in to it Feng Jiu."

Dij... I miss him, she cried inwardly even as she drank the toxic mess. He was not wrong, but how could she live life with want like that? Something, or someone...her mind blanked.

Feng Jiu, a voice whispered.

A slight smile tugged at his lips when she failed to respond to the voice. Zi Lan had been erased from her mind weeks ago. She'd never remember it now. Apparently, this girl was a babe to immortal life. She had the cultivation of someone over a hundred thousand years old, but it could be even more if he had not suppressed it. How long had she been alive? 16, 18 or 20 years total concerning her human life? Time in the heavens was not the same as in the reality mortals experienced.

Their entire plot was clear to him, just like her mind. She had come to trick him, but she had failed. Even without the shadow of his love, he indeed stole the bride meant for Dijun. What a feat! As long as there was a distance between the two, the old God would remain in control and see reason, but if they came together, he thought. Dijun and Feng Jiu would end the war if this occurred. He would be infected like her, the demon lord thought. So many plans, and so many ways to break the two. I really cannot lose, he thought feeling proud of himself. The core was his protection, and so was she. This beloved bird-fox creature was so loved and had been so easily taken. Without war, the Gods became lax making it to easy.

The thought alone stirred his interest, as well as the intimate act they were sharing. He'd not been a powerful man of his clan until after he'd shed his weaker ways. As for women, it had been so long since he'd even seen one. Family was family, no matter how bad they'd been to him. Being alone, recuperating, he now had no one. He was stronger than all of them had been, and achieved the very thing none of them had been able to.

Thinking back his own father had made jokes about his potions and studies, yet he'd survived them all. And soon he'd impregnate Dong Hua's destined woman with his child, siring a new clan of demons even more powerful than before. Their clan would become more powerful than any in the sky kingdom, he was sure of it. Her body was almost ready, her mind almost willing. Mere days away with his enemies coveted bride in his bed; the queen of the red tribe at his beck and call.

Feng Jiu!

Her Mark glowed faintly as her body absorbed the power from his blood. It made her one step closer to compatibility. The chances for any female children were slim-which hadn't mattered to him. This time he would not risk any bond interfering so he was not sure of the results. If Dijun indeed came for her, now he'd feel another bond that had formed. Could he risk the mind of his love and all those living things for passion? It would risk her mental state if Dong Hua insisted. Blood bonds were hard to enact, but once the party fell into the trap, there was no way out. Would this Dijun let his destined live and bear children with another? Could he kill her to prevent itit?

Once she was with child, he would feel better. It was not like Dong Hua-or any other male- to endure man's another's child. Even more so, Feng Jiu would not want to part with her child which would be born bound to him. A cruel smile curved his lips. He'd wanted to make the girl unhappy too, but if he wanted there to be harmony, he would have to temper that last bit.

With one swoop he could deal a huge blow to Dijun's pride and ego. He could strike a blow to Zhi Yan, too. His fingers stroked her forehead and he considered her again in a new light. Her Mark was a crown, the Mark of the clan leader which has always been female. Why had they not told her of this? He stroked it gently again finding it strangely amusing. When his thumb brushed over it, he felt Feng Jiu shudder. A small whimper followed. She had no idea what it meant to bear such a Mark. Touching it was taboo, like an intimate stroke only a lover should do.

"So pliant," he said in awe as he laid her back down. Her body became in tune with his, no longer causing her to wince when he was this close. the strange powers inside her continued to war, but they were made subdued by his. His eyes traveled over near familiar features; red hair, pump but small lips, and smooth pristine skin, and wide expressive eyes. Most men would find her desirable, this he knew as he ran a hand through her hair. It was rare to find a beautiful woman, and one with red hair such as this.

Her responses meant the core was not affecting her as much, and her bond with Dijun had lessened. Like this, she looked so peaceful. He didn't know when he'd begun to desire her, but he had as any male immortal would. Gaining her love would not likely happen, but he didn't need it. In a few more months, it was likely she would feel like she was already in love with him. Ah, the tricks of blood magic. Love was a weakness.

The shadow lingered powered on by her life force but it had not flourished. The demon lord was not sure why it lingered at all at this rate. Zhi Yan's fall could wait a few thousand more years until he had sons and daughters at his side. Then he would avenge his wife and end the life of the one who took his beloved. Besides, he had dotted on this girl quite a bit. How sad he would be to learn of this!

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Dong Hua paced outside his palace considering whether he wanted to return or inquire Siming as to where Feng Jiu had gone. despite the distance, he felt her pain. It agonized him, but he knew if he went to her, she could very well die.

Siming had already been alerted that Dijun had looked for Liang Song, Mo Yuan, and Bai Qian. When he saw him pacing, he knew he didn't have any ability to stop him from going for the girl. With all three gone, he had to know something was happening.

He bowed when Djun spotted him, "they have all gone. What is going on?"

Siming rose and didn't go on with his pretense, "she went with a plan, but something has happened. After he moved her this last time, she has been hard to trace."

"What happened? Why would they allow her near that thing? Why is he moving her?" Dong Hua was very aware of the other immortal and awaited any words from Siming's mouth with eagerness.

The stern voice was packed with power and demanded a response he felt all the way to his bones. Siming swallowed back a lick of fear and cleared his throat. His Majesty was commanding and left little to the imagination on how he'd conquered the heavens in those days.

"Feng Jiu has been ill," he began delicately.

"Cut the crap," Dong Hua clenched his jaw. "Stop standing on ceremony. Where has she been so far?"

Siming lowered his arms and bleak expression filled his features. To Dong Hua, he looked incredibly tired. "I don't know the plan, but the demon lord is involved. I don't even know much about it. Feng Jiu has sought council with Mo Yuan and others. They are there to retrieve her, but your majesty, if you interfere, you will bring her great pain."

"Any less than she has now?" Dijun retorted.

"The core is in the demon. You cannot approach him. Zi Lan will take it..."

Dijun gave a mock expression as a resolve fell over him. "That fool again," he muttered feeling jealousy rise in his veins like a living poison. Why are they asking for another man's help? The others were older gods, but this one was not.

"You cannot go," Siming stated when Dijun turned to go. "The world needs-"

"I have suffered the world, even uniting it. Alone I fought to the top, alone I gained allies, and alone I united. What is meant as mine...should I just let it go for the world again? How much sacrifice must a single person make? She is my woman."

"They understand it. They go for both of you. Everyone understands what you sacrificed. Zi Lan has accepted his role offering to unburden the core from you once it is extracted. If he is successful, then he would have no chance with anyone, let alone who is yours. He accepted it willingly." Siming stood taller and became alert. It was not like Dijun to be selfish. It stood to reason he'd been moved by emotion instead of fact. Feng Jiu must be seriously ill if this was the case.

He already knew. She'd been taken. "Why is her power like this?"

Siming hadn't heard much, but based on Bai Qian's and Mo Yuan's expression, something dire had happened. "He has put the shadow of his dead wife into her body hoping to restore it. Zhi Yan was able to communicate with her when it was done, but the last two days she has not responded. Some trickery is at play." He watched Dong Hua's face remain cool and unreadable, "the shadow is-was a part of Zhi Yan's intended mate. This is the only reason he could speak to her. It is why you feel her, but I believe the bond needs to be cemented before you can speak."

He has blood bonded her, Dijun realized. This was a death sentence, and a sense of foreboding took hold in him. I will find you where you are, he thought. If he lost her...

Siming began, "Dijun-"

Before Siming could say another word, Dijun faded out.

"Aye," Siming muttered and ran a palm over his face. Days like this, he felt the weight of his years.

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