I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Ryu, Liza, and Reiko are mine!

Chapter Twelve

Castle of Hell, Part Two

"Come on, guys. Can't you give a girl a break?"

Liza rubbed the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. She had known the chance of them being attacked here was high, she just hadn't been expecting this. It was as if an entire village of ninja were after them; every time she turned around some were there.

Jin had grabbed her the moment that the attack happened, leaving Reiko behind to fight alone. Liza wanted to turn back but they were still attacked themselves.

Refusing not to retaliate, Jin had drawn his blade and acquired one for Liza only moments before they were separated. Now the English woman was surrounded and alone in the forest.

Liza refused to go down. As careful as she could be of her still healing arm, she was forced to use the blade in her left hand until there was no other options. Wielding a Naginata had made her left arm powerful enough to keep herself safe and kill others but her right arm was still her main one.

She struck against the enemy as fast as she could manage, dodging attacks as she went. She found herself cursing her own stupidity out in her head. If she hadn't been wounded against that blind woman, then she wouldn't be suffering like she is right now. She shouldn't have gone off and fought her; she shouldn't have gotten wounded; she shouldn't have killed her.

Killing Sara wasn't what bothered Liza, no, but it was the reaction that Mugen had to her doing it.

The ferocious look on the vagabond's face, it sent chills down her spine. His glare froze her as he yelled at her, screamed. His eyes…they looked just like…like his.

Mugen had approached her but the moment his fingers brushed her skin, she had run.

She ran as fast as she could to return to Reiko and Jin, as if the Hounds of Hell were at her heels; she ran to escape the voices, the touches, the eyes.

She ran to escape herself.

Running nearly right into this death trap had not been the plan. She didn't know what was worse; them just attacking or them not saying a word as they did.

Normally her enemies would shit talk to her or try to convince her to surrender but these guys…they said not a word. Their faces hidden behind masks, making her nerves jumble more than they already were. She hated masks more than anything. They reminded her too much of her early days.

"God damn bastards!" She screamed as a blade hit her left shoulder. "Just leave me alone already!"

She hated how her voice sounded. She sounded scared and…and weak. She sounded like she did back in Norika castle. She swore to herself that se was never going to sound like that ever again. If this is where she was going to die, then she was going to do it with a god damn smile on her face!

"All right, you cocksuckers! If you want me, come and-" Her voice faltered a bit as a shadow jumped over her, placing itself between herself and the enemy. "-get me?"

She froze for a moment, unsure of what just happened, until she recognized the shadow that had joined her.

She didn't even bother blinking back the tears of relief as they formed in her eyes.

"You know, you guys attacking a lady just doesn't really sit well with me, especially when he's wounded." Mugen glared at the group before him, a death grip on the sword in his right hand. "Especially when said woman belongs to me, you got it? I'm thinking I need to teach you bastards some manners."

The men had paused for some reason at Mugen's arrival but as the words left his mouth they rushed forward to attack again. Again, it seemed like an endless stream of them and there was so much blood and loose body parts flung all around the area as Liza and Mugen fought them off. The man tried his hardest to keep them from getting to her but there was just no way he could do it all alone.

And then, like a miracle, the enemy seemed to stop coming, leaving just the two of them in the field of death. Liza bent over, her breaths hard and fast. Her right arm was throbbing. She wanted to fall to the ground right there and just take a nice, long nap, but there were three reasons that she couldn't.

One, there could still be enemy hiding in the tress around them and she didn't feel like dying because she took a nap.

Two, there was no way in hell that she was going to sleep on the ground with all this blood and dead bodies around her.

And three, well, he was currently moving towards her, sheathing his blade on his back again.

"Are you all right?"

Liza glanced at him, remembering the way he had looked at her the last time they were together. She gave a frown. "What, not mad at me anymore?"

The man sighed, as if he was expecting something along these lines. "I wasn't mad at you," Mugen sounded so dejected. "I was mad at myself. Angry that you had to save me; that you got hurt because of me. I tried to chase after you but my wounds, and Ryu, wouldn't let me. I told him that if something happened to you, then it was his ass." There was a pause. "Ryu and Fuu found Reiko and Jin." She finally turned and faced him fully and was surprised to find the bashful look on his face. "We've been here all morning, looking for the two of you. Imagine our surprise when we found Jin, too."

Liza felt her frown falling from her face. He had been worried about her, even after what he had said to her.

"I would get it if you just told me," He replied. "You can't expect anyone to understand you if you don't let them in."

"It's not exactly something you talk about over dinner, Mugen!" Her voice was loud but they both ignored the people staring at them.

"You can talk to me. Stay with us; I know you want to. Let Reiko go; you don't have to stay with her like this anymore. She's not your owner!"

Liza opened and closed her mouth multiple times, unsure of what to say for a moment.

"I…I can't…" Liza shook her head. "Reiko…I can't leave her."

"Not even for me?" Mugen's words were cold; hurt. Liza's eyes widened for a moment. He gave a sneer and used Reiko's words against her. "Your silence gives me your answer.' He turned around and began to walk back to the others. "Enjoy being on your leash, Elizabeth."

"I hurried here after leaving the others. Reiko…she's got a few wounds but other than that, she's all right. Jin-"

As she stared at him, his voice falling on deaf ears, the shy expression on his face as he rubbed the back of his head, all thoughts of right or wrong left her.

Neither of them were wounded.

They weren't in just some random field.

They weren't covered in blood or surrounded by dead bodies.

They were just a man and a woman, alone with each other.

"Mugen," She stared at him with desire in her eyes as he glared at the bodies around them.

He wiped the blood from his face, anger still clear in his eyes. "What?"

"Your payment has been fulfilled."

"Wha-" Mugen's question was lost when Liza jumped onto him, capturing his lips hungrily; he returned it happily.

Liza was glad that Mugen wasn't a gentleman like Jin was. Jin would have dragged her off to the nearest town and gotten a room, ruining everything. Instead, Mugen was like her, embracing the moment and giving back exactly what she gave.

Her heart was pounding against her chest and her body ached but she ignored them all, wanting nothing but the man in front of her.

Mugen knew that this was highly inappropriate at the time, with her wounded like she was, but her touch lit a fire inside of him. Her skin was on fire as her hands began to pull his clothes off. If she was well enough to be doing this, then he wasn't going to stop her. To be honest, he was proud of himself. After all, he had waited this long without just taking what he wanted from her. That was a first.

Careful of her wounds and right arm, he began to pull her own kimono off, giving nibbles and licks across her collarbone and neck. The pleasing shudder he felt pass through her body made him grin as he felt his sword fall from his back.

Liza began to pull him backward, refusing to pull her body off of him. Mugen, instantly knowing what she was doing, spotted a clean patch of grass, no blood or dead bodies near it, and happily pushed her down on it before following her, ripping open the rest of her clothes.

Her skin was a pale white, like milk, and so smooth. The smell of honey wafted from her hair, mingling with the sweat and blood that was around the two of them. The white top that she wore under her kimono hid her breasts from view but everything else was exposed; even her scars.

Mugen tried not to stare, showing her that he didn't care, but as he placed kisses and licks all over her stomach, his eyes calculated every last one of them. Most looked like battle wounds, those he wasn't surprised with, but there was one of them that he didn't like the look of. There, on her left hip, was what appeared to be a brand. It was some type of flower, and he recognized it from one of the shops that he had passed by in the city behind them. It had been the symbol of the Lord of Norika, Akio Nobusani.

Anger rose in Mugen's chest now. He didn't have to think hard about why that symbol was there. The pieces to the puzzle called the Terror Sisters were staring to fall into place, revealing more and more about the beautiful woman that was trapped beneath him in the grass.

His hand undid the belt of knives from her thigh and he caressed her skin softly as his placed a soft kiss over the brand. He felt her jump a bit, his lips extremely close to her nether regions, and glanced up at her. He lifted his brows at the embarrassed look on her face as she bit the bottom of her lip, trying hard not to look at him as she gazed off to the side.

He had only seen one type of woman react that way when he…

A grin spread across his face as another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

"Liza…" Her eyes glanced at him, the look in them assuring him that his assumption was correct. "Are you…a virgin?"

Everything fell so quiet; he could hear her as she swallowed, licking her lips nervously as she opened her mouth to respond.

"S-so what if I am?" Liza growled. "What? Do you only like women who spread their legs for every damn-"

Mugen silenced her with another kiss. He pulled back again with a sinister grin. "This makes the wait even better."

Liza was a virgin. It now made sense. She flirted so heavily but every time a man had tried to take her to his room, Reiko was always there to interfere. Always.

"I say the two of us hurry out of here," Liza was softly saying, curled up against the young man beside her. "You can finish that painting of yours…and maybe even more."

"I'll happily take you up on that offer," The man replied, running a finger across her neck. Mugen glared at the other man. "We can go ahead and excuse ourselves and-"

Mugen had been about to slam his chopsticks down and make a remark but Reiko had beat him to it, standing from her seat.

"We're leaving, Elizabeth."

The blonde, not even missing a step, gave the man a smirk before sliding away from him. "Sorry, sweetie, but mommy calls."

As Mugen watched the woman separate herself from the painter, he couldn't lie; he felt relief hit him like a brick.

"Aww, don't be like that," Tomura replied with that smile still on his face. "I promise I won't hurt her; you can even join us if you'd like."

"I thank you for your hospitality, but I must refuse your offer," Reiko glared at him as Liza moved to stand behind her. "I don't like the thought of another touching something that is mine."

The man raised a brow. "Surely you jest. Two women such as yourselves can't possibly-"

His words were cut off as Reiko turned, placing her hand around Liza's neck and pulling the other woman's face down to lock lips with her. Liza wasted no time, sliding a hand down the other woman's back. Everyone around the table let their mouths drop open as Reiko's cold, grey eyes peered at their host hatefully over Liza' shoulder.

After Reiko stepped back, Liza gave a huge grin as she lifted the smaller woman up in her arms bridal style. She gave the group a wink with her blue eyes full of laughter. "Looks like I'm the only lucky one tonight, boys." She left the room with Reiko in her arms, snickering as the door shut behind them.

"Holy shit..." Mugen had to swallow the drool in his mouth.

"Holy shit seconded," Ryu gulped himself.

"Third," their host echoed. Fuu gave a sigh and slammed her head down on the table as Jin frowned.

The bond between these two women…it made Mugen jealous. Jealous that he wasn't the one that shared it with the blonde beneath him.

He was just going to have to fix that.

Mugen had never slept with a virgin before, making this experience something that he was going to be proud of in the future. He did what he normally did though, teasing her body with kisses and caresses. She tried to touch him back, but he wouldn't let her, instead telling her to relax and let him take care of her. As it was her first time, he wanted her to remember it until she died; wanted it to be the best she ever had.

He'd let her return it in the future after he taught her some things first.

He spent what seemed like hours to him teasing her and playing with her. He didn't even care of the others found them like this, though part of him was happy it never came to that.

Finally, he couldn't help himself anymore and he slid inside her. The tightness that he found made him give a pleased grin as he hovered over the woman. She didn't whimper, didn't move, she didn't even look at him when he did it, her eyes shut tight as if she were trying to block everything out.

It was impossible to do so when he began to move, though.

He was a little worried at first when Liza gave no reaction to what was happening, but she soon began to make noises that turned louder and louder. She clutched to him, kissing every part of him she could reach, making a grin of victory spread across Mugen's face again, it growing wider and wider as he neared his climax. He did his best to hold on, wanting her to feel it first. He was rewarded with a cry of pleasure before finally giving in and doing the same.

He didn't move, just stayed propped up above her. As those big blue eyes stared up at him with undoubtable adoration, he leaned down and kissed her again.

Next time he would make sure to take her in an actual bed, not a field of the dead.

Neither of them moved for what seemed hours. Using what clothes they had to try and cover themselves, neither felt the urge to get dressed yet, instead lying there in eachother's arms as they let their bodies rest.

"I want a bath," Liza moaned against his chest.

Mugen chuckled. "We both do." He paused for a moment. "Sorry if I was…a little rough on you. I kinda couldn't help myself. You have no idea how long I've been wanting to…you know."

She snickered. "Nonsense. It was the best sex I've ever had."

"It's the only sex you've ever had."

"Let's keep it that way."

Mugen paused for a moment again, staring up at the sky as he tried to think of the right words.

"You flirt like a whore and yet you're a virgin; were a virgin." He felt her stiffen against him. He let go of a silent breath when she didn't pull back from him. "It all has something to do with what happened ten years ago. I think…I think I deserve to know what happened."

He was waiting for her refusal but got silence instead. He knew that she hadn't fallen asleep because she was tracing circles on his chest with her finger. He decided to just stay silent and wait.

"As I told you," Her voice began softly as her fingers continued to draw on him. "My mother fell in love with a samurai. Her parents were missionaries but when their daughter got pregnant, they left her here in Japan since it was out of wedlock. My father took her in and from what she told me, things were good, until he was killed by a group of bandits that raided the village we lived in. I had been one at the time. Mother tried her hardest but, in the end, I believe she just gave up. I was five when she died. Being a half-breed, not a lot of people wanted anything to do with me. I lived in the streets after that, stealing and eating whatever I could get my hands on. It was then I met a kind man that promised me a home. His name was Yuzu Yukimura. He was the father of that painter, Tomura."

That solved another puzzle on why Liza had killed the painter. Mugen wanted to comment but he stayed silent, letting her talk.

"He did help me, he took my home and I stayed there for about a week before…before I was sold."

She took and breath and then rolled over, leaving her back to him. He opened his mouth to speak but more scars cut him off and he frowned. The anger from before had returned.

"I was sold to Akio Nobusani, the Lord of Norika Castle. All though it was in secret, I was smuggled into the Castle with other girls my age; there were five of us. The moment I was inside that castle, I knew something was wrong. All the servants avoided our gazes as they pampered up and wouldn't answer our questions. Dressed up, we were presented to Nobusani every night at dinner, sat before him like dolls. When we spoke, we were hit so we learned quickly to stay silent. He never said a word, just stared at us with a gaze that seemed to ooze evil, before we were sent back to our room. The first night we were all scared and slept together, crying ourselves to sleep. It continued on for a month before one night…one night I was able to escape the room. I had shoved the door into the guard when he tried to close it and ran out into the castle. I hid under the pathway in the garden as the guards ran all over, searching for me. I was too afraid to move until a soft voice told me that I could come out of hiding.

"And that's when I first saw Reiko. Only a few years older then myself, she was treated like Nobusani's wife, dressed in gold and jewels but I saw just how miserable she was. Standing there in the moonlight, she looked like a goddess to me. She protected me from the guards that were chasing me, saying that she told me to meet her there that night to join her in a bath."

Liza took a breath.

"Unlike me, Reiko never knew a life outside the castle. She had been in Norika all of her life, being the child of one of the women that Nobusani impregnated."

"She's his kid?" Mugen couldn't stay silent anymore but Liza didn't seem to mind as she nodded.

"Yes. She was his child and still that bastard…he…" Liza squeezed her eyes shut. "I can't count how many nights I snuck in her room after he…was done with her. I tried to help her anyway I could but she always told me that she'd rather him…abuse her then do anything to me or the other children. That's why…that's why I can't leave Reiko. She…" Her shoulders trembled and Mugen placed a hand on her shoulder. "that's why she hates men. That's why she doesn't trust anyone. If her own father would do that to her, if everyone would just turn a blind eye to what that monster did to her and other children, how could she trust anyone?"

"After that, I was separated from the other children and allowed to stay with Reiko. I don't know how, she never told me why, but every night someone came for her and she would tell me to hide in her closet. When she would return, sometimes bleeding and bruised, but she would never cry in front of me. She promised that she would protect me and that crying before me was a sign of weakness; of her resolve to do so breaking. And then…then, one night, they dragged me and Reiko both to Nobusani's room.'

This was it. Mugen knew what was about to happen and his anger grew worse and worse. "How old were you?"

"Eight," She answered him timidly. "He...he would always touch me..." She whimpered. "Reiko tried to stop him, but his guards held her back. She struggled and struggled until Nobusani beat her himself. And then he made her watch. It…he was a sick, cruel monster…" She clenched her eyes shut, trying not to remember it all. "And then…the night of the fire…I had been brought alone. He wanted…I knew what he wanted." She fell silent for a few more moments. "I fought but what could…what could I do against him? Right before he…I saw Reiko. She had come to save me. She took Nobusani's desk and bashed his skull into the floor. She fell to her knees before me, asking for my forgiveness for not being able to protect me. That was the first time I saw her cry."

"That night, we fled the castle. She killed a guard and took his sword. She wasn't silent about it, either, alerting the entire castle about what was going on. With no training, she was running purely on adrenaline. I…I can't believe we even got out of the castle after it was all over. I…I couldn't do much but I had pushed a few down the stairs; saved Reiko's life by shoving a man through the window. It resulted in a lantern being knocked to the floor and so the castle caught fire. We've…we've been running from the law ever since."

"I flirt with others, yes, but in my head, all I can see is me ripping apart that...that bastard. Killing him with my own hands for...for touching me like he had!" She paused. "I even envisioned killing Ryu and Jin a few times but you...you were different. I don't know what it was about you, but you...you were the first man I didn't fantasize about murdering. That night in the restaurant, the night we were alone before Reiko interrupted us...you were the first man to ever touch me like that. It... I felt something that I had never felt before. If Reiko hadn't shown up...I'm...I'm sure it would have…we would have..."

"Is that right," Mugen grinned as he snuggled his face into the crook of her shoulder. He had learned what he wanted, and it made him more attracted to the young woman beside him. It made him want to lock her in his arms and never let go. He wanted to be the one to protect her now, not Reiko. "I'm happy to hear that."

"Why would that make you happy?"

"I had feared that you were just playing with me. Now that I know you were as distraught over your feelings as I was...it makes all this waiting worth it."

"It's...you were the first man that..." She closed her eyes again. "You didn't want to just receive pleasure. You wanted to give it. Every other man just wanted me to touch him but you...your first instinct was to touch me instead. You...caught me off guard, pirate."

"I'm good like that."

She gave a laugh and interlocked her fingers with his. "You're such a dork."

Mugen felt his arms tighten around her again. He didn't know what to do, what to say, after a story like that. She went through all that and still kept a smile on her face. This woman…she was stronger than he gave her credit for. They both were.

As he laid there, holding her, he made a vow to himself. Never again was he going to let her get hurt. He was going to protect her and give her whatever it was she wanted. If she wanted to stay on the run from the law, he'd be there with her. If she wanted to settle down in some secluded village then that's where he would be. If she wanted to get on a ship and escape Japan completely then he'd go with her.

He wasn't going to let her out of his sights ever again.

I hope you guys like it. Review! :)