AN bleuxe: So this is probably one I really enjoy writing. I tried something new in how I start my writing these chapters and it went well. I hope everyone enjoy this. Happy holidays and Happy New Years!

The air was filled with tobacco since all the windows that lend to fresh air were closed. Lydia felt like Daki was doing this to make every human including herself in room to cough. Since she was the one closest to the window and she was the one only who was smoking.

There was all types of food and sake all spend across the table. This seemed to be the only things that were deter smell of smoke from permanently burning her nose. The only problem was no one was touch the food. She knew why the demons weren't, but she didn't know why the two other Orian weren't eating.

In fact they were sitting far from Douma and not interacting at all him. They were whispered among themselves, all while staring at her. Until Gyutaro slammed his fist on the tatami mat shaking all the glassware on the table.

"Squeaking like two-faced rats! Why don't you say that shit to her face then!" He hated what they saying about Lydia underneath their filthy breath.

The two Orian looked embarrassed that he actually hear them and no doubt was turning ruby red underneath all that white makeup they were wearing. Lydia was about to asked what was said, but Daki beat her to the punch.

"They can't believe how dark your skin is... they believe your diseased and dirty!"

Gyutaro growled lowly because it was a sore reminder of those stupid bitches from his childhood. They would called him a bunch of names, all while throwing rocks at him. He was about to get up and kill them for reminding him of such a triggering memory.

Lydia squeezed his hand underneath the table making him stop as if she knew what he was about to do.

"I don't have a single disease nor am I dirty! Don't say such nasty things about my skin!" she said steely staring them down.

"Ah it is quite rude to talk to about someone in front of them. Not very welcoming at all!" Douma said in a disappointing tone at them.

Immediately they simultaneously bowed asking for forgiveness. Daki told them that they were not forgiving and that she could very easily banished them from her presence.

"D-Yatamahime! It's me they offended and honestly if they don't said anymore mess up shit to me...I'm ok," she replied hating being spotlighted like this.

Lydia knew that the longer she stay in the past. Sooner or later she was going to have to deal with people either being blatantly discriminate or completely ignorant towards her. The only blessing about this era was there was no social media and no one could be anonymously brazen. At least she hoped it wouldn't get any worse than words here.

"So soft!" Daki spat underneath her breath.

"Too soft..." Gyutaro agreed with his sister.

"I think it is admirable of you Lydia. Your so forgiving and with a real sense of maturity too,"

Lydia couldn't help, but to smile at Douma's words. He just so charming and friendly compared to doom and gloom next to her.

"Oh my dimples too! You have such a sweet smile!"

She couldn't even answer, because immediately Gyutaro had his arm across her shoulders making her head lean into his chest. His whole body language read "Back the fuck off!"

"Are the ladies provided for you were not adequate enough for you?" Daki questioned him. She thought he was being highly inappropriate with her brother's mate.

"No they both are beautiful! Stunning even!"

Douma glanced over at the two Orian who now giggling at his compliment.

"Then I suggest you pay attention to what's yours instead of what's mines!" Gyutaro remarked darkly.

"Ah yes your right!" the cult leader strife the urge to laugh at him. Messing with someone who was so easily jealous was quite fun.

"Well come come ladies join me at table!"

But the Orian did not join him, but merely ignored him.

"You've been forgiven... won't you join me?" Douma spoke lightly as they made no movement toward him or any acknowledge.

"Fool! Don't you know anything on how Yoshiwara works?" the demoness said extremely annoyed at him.

Making Gyutaro snickered while Lydia shifted uncomfortable. Sitting on her knees and leaning at this angle was not helping her bruised up pelvis at all. He noticed this and criss-cross his legs. Then all of sudden lifted her and made her to sit on his lap.

"Eugh! Next time give me a warning before you do that!" Lydia said frazzled. Meanwhile Douma and Daki seem to be in some kind of debate about proper Orian etiquette.

"Are you not comfortable now?" he asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

She had to think about it, tried fluffing his arms like they were cushion and then leaned more into him.

"Thank you...especially for earlier in defending me," which made him happy that she acknowledged that.

She reached up to give him a backwards cheek rub. In ways she thought he would jerk away, but he didn't, even leaned more into it. This proved that sometimes he too was a big old softie.

"You know what fine!" Daki was beyond frustrated with this discussion.

"You two just come and entertain this man already!" she would be damn if had to suffer though anymore garbage that was coming out his mouth.

"Y-Yes Yatamahime Oiran!" neither one of them dare defy her hearing rumors of her violent tendencies.

Quickly and quietly they sat between Douma. None them dare to look or speak in Lydia's way mostly because of Gyutaro. He scared them and was scary looking to them.

"Please tell me your names," Douma decided to break the awkward silence first.

"S-Shizuki..." said the woman with bluebell flowers ornament pin the side of her hair.

"Yuiko!" said the other woman who seemed more confident with silvery chime like pins in her bun.

As the time passed, it was like Lydia could finally relax. Yuiko was doing a elaborate fan dance that was just so captivating to her. Until her stomach grumbled as she looked down at the untouched and probably now cold food.

"Hungry? Me too..." Gyutaro whispered in her ear while rubbing her belly.

"That's nothing to joke about..." Lydia frowned as Daki smirked while smoking. She decided to pick up the chopsticks to try some of this buffet spend out in front of her.

Douma seemed more interested in conversing with Shizuki. He had the charisma to make anyone open up to him. Humans were so easily manipulated thinking that he can be trustworthy.

"T-Then my sister committed Shinjū and I-I haven't been the same since," she finished misty eyed.

"How terrible!" he exclaimed trying to mimic her sadness.

Meanwhile Gyutaro thought it was the most funniest thing he ever heard openly laughing. It almost made Lydia spill her bowl of donburi. It made her angrily elbowed him because she was trying to eat and he was squeezing on to her too tightly.

"It can't be that funny? What does Shinjū mean anyways?" she questioned because it was a term Gyutaro used on her that one time.

"It is when lovers kill themselves. But I thought that was outlawed by the Daimyo? Does that means your sister was buried in one of those unmarked graves!" Daki explained with a cruel smile.

Immediately the poor woman bursted into tears and Lydia couldn't help, but feel bad for her. But surprisingly Douma was also in tears making her think he was some kind of empath. He grabbed both of Shizuki's hands similar to what he did to her earlier.

"Oh Shizuki would you believe there is a way to see your dear sister again and a lot sooner than you think!' immediately the Orian blushed.

"I-I'm not sure I understand?"

"Let me explain it to you," he waved Yuiko to not stop dancing.

"Your in tremendous pain and I can take that pain from you! I have taken many people pain away in my profession..I'm a leader of a temple called Eternal Paradise,"

Lydia saw that as a major red flag when those words left his lips. Eternal Paradise just sounded extremely off, especially coming from a demon to her. But to Shizuki it sounded like something she missing in her life.

"I knew you were special the moment I laid eyes on you!"

"Blah! Stupidity must run in her family eh?" Gyutaro spoke low in Lydia's ears. Making her sigh back at him on how insensitive he was at times.

He felt like he was watching one of those over-dramatic Kabuki, that Daki would drag him to see from time to time. One look at his sister and he could tell she was invested in this mushy shit.

The cult leader lean in like he was going kiss her as Shizuki fluttered her eyes close in wait and want. He flicked open his fan slicing right through her head horizontal and hit Yuiko in the process. She stopped dancing because he cut her. Separating her upper half from her torso making her collapse onto the floor in a bloody mess.

It took Lydia a minute to register what happened in front of her because it happened so fast and it felt like a cool breeze went by. But when she saw the blood and severed limps. She loss all of her appetite was and every instinct was telling at her to run.

Gyutaro refused to let her go as she fought to get off his lap. He had to lock his legs around hers because she trying to kick and bump the table away. Luckily she wasn't trying to scream her pretty little head off or this would have pissed him off even farther.

"Damnit Lydia fucking quit it now!" he said harshly against her cheek.

He did not know why she was acting like this and warned her before about runaway. There was no way for her to out maneuver him because he literally constrict all of her movements.

Lydia forced to let out a slow breathe over and over, until she finally stop being in flight or fight mode. When he felt her body relax completely, is when he let her, put her elbows on the table as she buried her hands in her face.

"Douma your making a mess and I don't want to have to clean up after you!" Daki scolded as she tried her best to ignore the ridiculous wrestling match that just happened next to her.

"Yes that would make me a terrible house guest! Wouldn't it?" he said merrily as he grabbed a hold of Shizuki's corpse to consume it.

Lydia was all wrong about Douma. He was no empath because he a damn sociopath. The way he just kill them at the drop of a hat was chilling. All that blood that continued to spill out from Yuiko's body and some even landed in her food. All this blood reminded her of when she was forced to eat it, it was like she could taste what was on Douma's fangs and it nearly made her gag.

"Oh no Lydia you look awfully sick! Are you alright?" he noticed was her sweating and shaking.

"She's fine," Gyutaro answered for her. But he did became tense, when listening to her heart thundering throughout her entire being. He thought she was looking for a way out again.

"I've seen that look before though?" Douma wondered out loud. He looked concerned, but deep down she knew that he didn't care as licked his bloody lips.

Lydia just shook her head mostly because she was feeling very lightheaded. The room was literally spinning out of control and then she saw nothing, but darkness.