Disclaimer: I do not own Kakuriyo bed and breakfast for Spirits. All credit goes to the writer/creators of the show/manga

…..

Chapter Nine

…

"Where are you going?" Aoi asked as she handed him the bento she'd prepared for lunch. Last night she thought something was up. Now she was sure of it, and by the master's expression, he wasn't eager to share what was on his mind.

"Thank you, he replied as he pulled her to him. He breathed her in, allowing her scent to calm him. She was alive. Her thundering heart and sweet scent reminded him of that. "I might be gone a day or two, do not worry for me. I assure you my trip will be an easy one."

With that, he turned to leave, her question unanswered. "Master? You didn't answer my question."

Ginji walked in then, whispering something to master. They both glanced at Aoi, worsening her anxieties.

"I look forward to returning to you, my Aoi. I will be home as soon as I can." He started for the door.

"Mitsuhide!"

Both men stopped. Ginji had a surprised expression on his face but said nothing about her use of Masters's given name.

"I have a right to know where you are going. We are together after all. Please…don't leave without an explanation. I'm worried. I don't like the look in your eyes."

"I'm afraid my answer might frighten you more." He really didn't want to tell her. Had no plans of doing so, and yet, he knew he couldn't leave now without giving her the truth. The way she looked at him, that stubborn way she carried herself. She would likely tackle him to the ground. He chuckled at the idea. Maybe she wouldn't, but it would be amusing to see her try.

"What's funny?"

"Nothing, my love. Ginji, a moment please?"

"Of course," Ginji replied, then gave Aoi a pained smile before stepping out.

"Raiju has been captured." He said it quickly, like taking off a bandaid quickly to lessen the pain. He went to her when she swayed a bit. "I have to deal with him. Therefore, I must go."

She held onto his sleeves as her head wrapped around his words. They found Raiju. Did that mean he was close? She paled some. What if he escaped? What did master plan to do next? Her stomach rolled, and she had to take deep breaths to keep her breakfast down.

"Easy now," Master said, pulling her to him. Her anxiety rolled off her like waves in the ocean. "He isn't close by, and there's no way he can escape. You're safe."

She nodded, but clang to him anyway. "I want to ask what you plan to do. But I don't want to know the answer." It was because she already knew. She saw the anger in his eyes when she told him everything that had been done to her. Felt the room fill with it to the point it was nearly tangible.

Master took her face in his hands, kissing her deeply. "I must do this, I have to…"

"I know." She did know. She didn't like it, but she knew. The need to protect their own. Yokai were possessive, protective, and showed no mercy. She didn't like it, but she understood her moral compass was that of humans. His was that of demons.

"Just make it as quick as you can. I'm…scared."

"Oh, Aoi," he held her again, putting his lips by her ear. "How can I make you feel safer while I'm gone?"

She thought about it a moment. "Can Ginji stay?"

…

"Wait, why am I being sidelined? I thought that when we found him I was to be there just in case?"

"There are others I can bring." He put up his hand when Genji went to protest further. "She wants you to stay. It will put her better at ease."

Genji paced to the window. Master would be lying if he said that her request didn't make him a little jealous. He would never stop them from being friends, but he wasn't blind to the fact that both of them felt more than a friendly love for the other.

"For her, I'll stay." It wasn't easy, but how could he say no? She wanted him. Sure, it was second to master, but still. The fact that she asked for him to stay filled him with joy. Even if the idea of staying behind filled him with anger. But for her? He'd do anything.

"Thank you."

"Give him a kick for me."

The master's features twisted into a nasty snarl. "I plan on doing a hell of a lot more than that."

…..

Raiju hung by his arms, the tips of his toes barely able to reach the floor. His muscles ached as confusion continued to anger him. What happened to his powers! Why couldn't he use them! The lack of power pissed him off more than being imprisoned.

Not to mention whatever smell that was lingering around, some sickly sweet scent, made his head feel a little foggy. He couldn't seem to keep his mind from drifting away.

Light flooded in when the door opened, momentarily blinding him. When the door closed again, he saw the form he dreaded seeing. The Master of Tenjin-ya. He couldn't stop his heart from pounding, nor the fact that his blood ran cold.

"Mitsuhide," he said, insulting the ogre god by addressing him informally.

"Raiju," master replied, saying the name as if it were a nasty word. "We have business."

Raiju laughed, though he was afraid. "Are you mad about what happened to that human? Really, Mitsuhide, why are you so caught up with that whore?"

Master moved so fast, that Raiju couldn't track the movement in this poor light. Something struck his cheek, hard. "You watch your mouth."

Raiju's body shook. He knew what was coming, and he knew there was no talking his way out of it either. "You should have heard her. Mewling under my touch. Fought like a Vicious feline too."

Master wrapped his hand around Raiju's neck, not bothering to stop his nails from digging into his skin. As Raiju gasped for air, master smiled maliciously. "Don't worry. By the time I'm done with you, you'll wish you never even laid eyes on my Aoi."

"You always were too sentimental." Raiju managed to gasp out.

"And you were always too bold." Master let go of Raiju's throat. He smiled as the demon gasped for air that was no doubt making his head spin.

He walked over to the window, opening it to allow the smoke to escape. Raiju was to be fully aware when the torture began.

"Tell me, scum, was the last few months worth your death?"

Raiju smiled. "Have you had your way with her yet? If so, surely you know her softness. The way she feels as you enter her. The sounds that escape the pretty kissable mouth of hers." Raiju was trying to get a rise out of him, and by the set of the man's jaw and his strained fist, he knew it was working. "Not to mention she bruised beautifully. You should hear how sexy her cries of pai…"

He didn't get to finish his sentence before a fist met his face. "You sick bastard!" Master grabbed Raiju's neck as he growled. "I've seen the evidence of what you've done to her. But I promise you this, pain will be the last thing you feel." Master started to transform as he spoke. "Your screams and the last thing you'll hear. Your blood is the last thing you'll taste and my face will be the last thing you'll ever see.

Raiju chuckled, though he was afraid. He knew what was coming for him, he'd be a fool to think he'd walk away from this. "Bring it."

….

He had blood on his hands. This wasn't the first time, nor he mused, would it be the last. This was, however, the first time he took such satisfaction in it. He reveled in every scream, every whimper. Every cry that escaped that monster's lips was like music to his ears.

Master took a hit of tobacco, closing his eyes as it calmed him. What did that say about him? That he could do something so horrible as what he'd just done? Would Aoi still see him the same? If she saw what had happened? If she'd heard those screams? Witnessed the cruelty he could so easily inflict on another?

In the past, he never would have given these actions a second thought. Yokai didn't have the same moral compass humans have, the justice system they have is still in its infancy, and most of them hardly abide by it. But given his closeness to humans, to his Aoi, he couldn't help but ponder it now.

He wouldn't tell her. He knew she would ask. She wouldn't want to know the details of what had happened. He was as sure of that as he was that he wouldn't answer. He could lie, but he didn't want to do that. It felt wrong to lie to her when she was always so honest with him. No, he wanted no secrets between them. So he would just tell her that was was done, was done, and leave it at that.

She would never see him the same way. If she knew how much of a monster he could truly be. Perhaps she would even be afraid of him, though he would never hurt her. He loved her. So much more than he thought he ever could. He'd never thought he would grow to truly love her.

Master stood, going to the window a longing growing in the pit of his stomach. He wanted to go home. He wanted to hold Aoi in his arms and tell her she wouldn't ever have to worry about Raiju again. He wanted to be inside her, fill her until she was crying out his name in pleasure.

He closed his eyes as the thought went straight to his cock, lengthening him. Yes, he needed to get home, but first, he needed to finish taking care of things here.

…

Aoi sighed as she nursed her burnt hand. She'd been far too distracted to be cooking, and this was the result. The entire outer side of her hand, from the tip of her pinky to a little past the wrist was an angry shade of red. She'd yelped out in pain, dropping the dish she'd been holding, and making the restaurant boom with the sound the dish made.

Ginji had run over to her and fussed over her when he realized she was hurt. After helping her with the burn, he finished feeding the costumes who were already there, but then closed the rest of the day. Now he was watching her with anxious eyes that were driving her insane.

"I'm fine, Ginji," she told him for the hundredth time. It was just a burn, and while sore, it wasn't going to be the end of her.

"I never should have let you open this morning. I should have known you'd be distracted."

She took one of his hands with her free one. "It's not your fault alone. I should have known better too."

He smiled at her, though she could still see he was worried. They fell into silence, both of them worried about Master.

"So, he lets you call him by his given name?" Ginji asked with a smile.

Aoi chuckled. "Only when we are alone. I broke the rule yesterday. But I had to get his attention."

Ginji laughed too. "Yeah, I'd say it worked."

She laughed, but then the laughter died. "He's torturing Raiju, right? That's why he left yesterday looking both pained and determined."

"Does that bother you?"

She looked over at him, surprised that he didn't deny it. She knew the answer, so even if he had denied it she wouldn't believe him, but still. "It does. I don't want him to be a monster because of me."

"Aoi, we are…"

"But if I'm honest?" She continued, cutting him off. She looked down at her hands, unsure why she was admitting this. "If I'm being honest, part of me is glad. What does that say about me? To know that someone is suffering and be happy about it."

"Are you though? Happy about it, I mean."

"Happy isn't the right word. But it makes me horrible to even for a moment feel that he's getting what he deserves! That whatever master is doing, he earned it! I'm not okay that it's happening, but I'm not angry either. That doesn't sit well with me."

Ginji wiped away her tears before taking her face in his hands. "He hurt you. For months. He used and abused you. How could you not feel glad that he's getting what's coming for him? Even as it makes you feel uneasy, how can you not want him to pay?"

He moved away from her because he wanted to kiss away her tears, though he never would. Never again would his lips taste hers. "Master will do what he wants. So stressing over how you feel about that is pointless. Because he wouldn't stop. Even with you there, begging. He would continue to hurt the monster who hurt his beloved. So how you feel about it changes nothing."

She smiled weakly. "You're good to me, Ginji."

He shrugged. "You're my family. I love you." He took another look at her hand. "Master is going to kill me for that."

"What am I going to kill you for?"

Aoi sprang up at the sound of his voice and ran to him. Without words, she hugged herself to him, burying her face in his chest.

He chuckled. "I've only been gone for a short while." Still, he held her tight. "I've missed you."

"Then don't leave." Her reply was muffled, though he heard her fine.

"So what will I be murdering Ginji for?"

Aoi moved, showing him her hand. "This. It's nothing. Just was lost in thought and wasn't paying enough attention."

Master kissed her burn gently before pulling her to him again and breathing her in. "Will you stay the night with me?"

"Always."

…

She lay pressed Into his side as he ran his fingers up and down her spine. She wasn't sure she would ever get used to the feel of his hands on her. The way his touch made her skin tingle deliciously.

"What's on your mind?"

She smiled. "How much I love it when you touch me."

"Oh?" He shifted so he was slightly over her once more. "Would you like me to touch you some more?"

She laughed as she shook her head. "I'm not sure I could handle another round just now." She tucked some of his hair behind his ear, just to give her a reason to touch him. "I'm scared."

"Why? Raiju will never be able to hurt you again. On my honor, Aoi."

"I know that. I'm not afraid of him. Not now. I'm afraid that this will all disappear. That I will wake up one day and be back in my realm. Away from you and everyone else."

He closed his eyes as he put his forehead to hers. "Oh, Aoi. You silly girl."

"What…"

His lips found hers, cutting off whatever she was about to say. "You don't understand the situation you are currently in, do you? You see, I am a selfish ogre and the woman I want to marry is laying naked, in my bed, as we speak. She might think otherwise, but I will never let her go."

"Mitsuhide." She felt tears sting her eyes. She understood.

"You're mine. No one will ever touch you but me." He cupped between her legs as he spoke. "No one else will ever hear that sweet sound of pleasure you make." His finger slid into her, and she moaned, unable to help herself. "No one else will ever again know how you feel when your body clutches at their cock as you orgasm. Because you are mine and I am selfish."

She cried out with pleasure as he slipped into her, slowly making love to her as he kissed her. "Mine." The word slipped from her lips as she was brought closer to release. "You're mine too."

He smiled against her throat, her sweet words thrilling him. "Yes, my Aoi. I am yours. Yours to love. Yours to use. Yours to command. As you are mine."

"Mitsu…" her head fell back, sensations cutting off her thoughts. "I…will marry you."

He stopped, looking down at her with shock. "You will? Really?"

Aoi put her hand on his cheek, taking in his bewildered expression. "I love you. I've loved you for a while. I was just too scared, or maybe too stubborn to allow myself to think of what that meant. But I love you, and there is no future I want unless you are in it. So yes. Really. It would please me greatly to be your wife."

"Oh Aoi," he kissed her, their emotions making the kiss somehow achingly beautiful. His heart filled with so much love and joy he hadn't ever experienced before. "You've made me the happiest and luckiest Ogre god to ever live."

….

Two years later

"Ginji!" Aoi laughed as he tossed flour at her. She's just told him that the yokai he'd been crushing on was coming back to stay again and he threw the flour at her.

"You just have to keep bringing her up, don't you?" He laughed, his cheeks pink with embarrassment.

"You will be cleaning that up," Master said as he walked over to them, shaking his head.

"Yes Master," Ginji replied, giving Aoi a wink.

"You know, just because I'm with child, doesn't mean I'm incapable of doing things. I plan on cooking right to the end."

Master gathered her in his arms, then buried his face in her neck to give it a kiss. "Yes, my wife, I am aware. But you should also be aware that I will be hiring extra help so that you don't tire yourself out."

Aoi rolled her eyes. "You, my husband are an overprotective ogre god."

He chuckled as Ginji made gagging sounds before waving goodbye and making himself disappear. "I must protect what is mine." He placed a hand on her belly. "A child is a rare gift in this realm. A child with you? Even more precious. I will be unbearably protective my love."

Aoi smiled up at him before placing a kiss on his jaw. "I know. It's one of the many reasons I love you."

"So no regrets then? Marrying the ogre god who you once said you would never marry?"

Aoi laughed. She had said that, yet nearly two years ago she'd been so happy to marry him. She even loved their traditional marriage ceremony that was unlike anything she'd seen and while it was foreign to her, it had been beautiful, then he'd swept her away to the apparent realm where they spent a few weeks traveling to different romantic locations. Bliss. Her life with Misuhide was pure bliss.

"No, husband mine. I have no regrets."

He lifted her onto the counter, flower mess and all, and kissed his like he always did, with a fiery passion that she always felt deep within and she knew it wouldn't ever change. Because they were forever.

…

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks :D