Chapter Hundred Thirty-One

The Direction of Hatred

 

 

Nekohiko's pulse raged.

"Follow my Orders, you dummy!"

"I am not yours to order me--"

The door broke, and from the next room, a golden glow poured inside, giving light to the dimness and tangle of shadows here. In the exposed brightness, Kataji's and Nekohiko's desperate struggle on the floor before the bed had to be too obvious to miss.

Nekohiko threw his head back to peer at the figure in the doorway -- to see the expression on his face.

Or just to glimpse him, period.

Because it had been two days since Nekohiko had seen him in person. Nekohiko yearned with an almost physical want to be close to him. Near him. Together with him.

He almost let Kataji go, so relieved he was with the mere sight of Abihiko.

Abihiko towered over both of them on the floor, his face -- dark with turmoil. His eyes glowering, too tempestuous to not look scary. Especially with his mouth pressed into a thin line as his jawline hardened when he saw the inside of the bedroom.

And though he looked quite murderous in that moment, at first Nekohiko didn't feel any pained jealousy channeling through their marriage Bond.

Because -- as he realized -- in the darkness of the bedroom, Abihiko simply did not recognize Nekohiko. And instead took him for an intruder trying to attack his little brother.

"Kata -- don't move, I'll deal with him--" Abihiko snapped, his hands already assembling a casting formation of a very potent Utsuro spell.

Yet his motions froze when his eyes grew used to the dim lighting of the room and his gaze pinned to Nekohiko's face.

To his eyes, already watering with tears from seeing Abihiko so close. And safe. And clearly unharmed.

Ah, Nekohiko was too happy to see him.

It was clear Abihiko had not expected to find Nekohiko here. At all.

And especially in this ambiguous position, wrestling along with Kataji -- with it being uncertain who was hurting whom and why.

Then a horrible pang of heartache stabbed Nekohiko in the chest as Abihiko's eyes skittered over the position once more.

"What is going on--" Abihiko mouthed, his shoulders stiffening as he dropped his hands to his sides.

What's going on?

I came here to plead for your freedom and to get you out of prison! That's what's going on!

But Kataji overtook the initiative. "NAO! Hibiki! The prisoner escaped from the dungeons! He is in the Emperor's chambers!"

"Kataji--" Abihiko began.

"Arrest him!"

Temper flared in Abihiko's eyes. He smacked his hand across the air, sapping the aspect of sound from Kataji's vicinity as though to shut him up.

"Stop speaking nonsense, I am here to save you!"

But yeah... the protective array on Kataji's skin deflected any such spell. Kataji would not be silenced anymore.

Betrayed, he watched Abihiko in some sort of a maddened loathing. "Can you people not handle a mere non-Binder without abusing me with your powers all the time?!"

From behind Abihiko, more scuffle and terrible clamor came. Footsteps, running here. Abihiko flinched, readying for another defensive stance and a spell -- but it was hard for him to shift his attention from over Nekohiko and Kataji.

His eyes just couldn't stop roving over the tangle they were in. Confusion clearly displaced him.

Nekohiko sprang up from Kataji, wishing to dart toward Abihiko and hold him in his arms. But Kataji grabbed him faster. Needy, he jerked Nekohiko back by the wrist.

With his other hand, Kataji pointed at Abihiko. "Itsuki, I Order you to attack him! Itsuki! Now!"

Panic, frenzy, the heightened emotions surging all around them -- nobody knew what to do; that was clear.

Abihiko didn't even react to that. He was too busy casting a repelling barrier around the doorway -- and rushing in. The fuming waves of his aura breathed at Nekohiko with each spell. For a moment, Nekohiko had such a clear view of the chambers Abihiko had left behind -- and all the charred and dismembered doll guards strewn across the floor there.

Ah. That made sense why nobody in Kataji's guards had stopped him.

They hadn't had the chance.

But judging from the cries that gushed into the rooms now -- more guards were coming. Both human and dummies.

"The Prisoner has escaped! The Emperor is in danger!"

"Call all the squads here now!!"

The last cries shut off as Abihiko slammed the door closed. Then kicked his boot on it, casting another reinforcing spell to make the doors and the wall around them sturdier. Not that it would hold off any of the attacking Binders for long -- but each second counted in martial matters.

Himself, Nekohiko was just too stunned to know what to do.

...

He couldn't cast potent spells for the fear of exposing himself to people outside. And he didn't want to use more of his physical fighting moves on Kataji. The young man had been right. It was unfair, to fight him...

He was like a toddler compared to either Nekohiko or Abihiko -- two of the most powerful Binders in the Empire.

Beating him down even without spells was just... low.

As low as Kataji's Master Orders, Nekohiko's mind retorted, but he chased these thoughts away.

Kataji was not a danger to him, now or ever. And Nekohiko was not that power-hungry to enjoy the beat-down of a weakling. He was just as safe by ignoring Kataji altogether as he would be, fighting him.

Thus, without any real foes to deal with -- Nekohiko stilled, watching Abihiko in mesmerized awe.

He couldn't stop his lips from stretching in a smile.

Kataji's shrill voice didn't even register in comparison. "Get away from me! Abihiko! What the fuck are you doing, breaking into my chambers--?!"

Abihiko abandoned his spot at the doors and pelted toward Kataji to clutch his elbow. As though stung, Kataji recoiled.

"Kata," Abihiko growled. "We need to leave. This very moment. Okinaga and his Binders are waiting -- they will take care of you and keep you safe."

"Okinaga?" Nekohiko gave voice, tremulous with fright.

...

Argh, damnit. It made so much sense now!

Just as Nekohiko had assumed that Abihiko would only come here to save him -- and not his own brother, Nekohiko had underestimated the other people he knew.

And all the subtle and painful bonds that tied them together.

He and Abihiko was just a bond that shone the brightest to him, so he sometimes forgot any others existed.

But they did.

Abihiko and Kataji also shared a bond. A brotherly one... The one of trust and unflinching loyalty to their family. One they shared with Aomi, too. Of course neither of them would ever let go of it, even if it hurt them too much at times.

And how had Abihiko escaped from prison in the first place?

At first, Nekohiko had made an unlikely guess that someone from the servants or guards of the Emerald Palace must have been loyal enough to him to free him just now.

But -- Spirits! How stupid and oblivious Nekohiko must be. To forget that Okinaga also cared about Abihiko. With all his might.

Would Okinaga ever allow his own Ward Son to be held in prison and mistreated like this?

...

Why would Nekohiko ever forget such small connections and beliefs and concerns other people shared? The world did not solely revolve around him. There were so many players in the game. No wonder most of them would make moves without Nekohiko ever expecting them to.

Okinaga had said it himself, years ago.

If I lose Abihiko, I truly have nothing.

Abihiko is everything.

Part of the reason why Okinaga had always been so adamant about hunting Nekohiko down -- was this. The pure and unbridled belief Okinaga held that Nekohiko was hurting his Ward Son. And was simply wrong for him. As such, the only way Okinaga could protect Abihiko from Nekohiko's vile influence was to... get rid of him, once and for all.

Shittt!

That still didn't change the fact that Lord Hira Okinaga was somewhere here nearby -- right now!

And if he found out Nekohiko was here? That was not good news.

"Where is Okinaga?" Nekohiko rasped at Abihiko in shock.

Abihiko's own bafflement of having found Nekohiko inside had subsided. Abihiko gave him a wild stare, then spat through his teeth.

"Not now! Neko, who told you to come here? Argh, whatever -- just keep quiet. We are under siege and we need to get Kataji out of here as soon as possible!"

Kataji laughed, maddened.

"I am not going anywhere with you--"

Nekohiko jolted when the first powerful blasts of magic dashed into the blocked door from the outside.

Several strands of Binding spells shot at it, shaking the entire wall around the door with the force of the impacts. There was not much time before they would break in.

"Okinaga and his men will protect you from Morokata, you idiot! Do you think he will not take you hostage against me now that I am a convicted criminal?! Kata, he will lure me out by threatening you -- and I will not allow that," Abihiko snapped.

Once again, he wanted to get hold of Kataji's hand. Yet Kataji slowly stepped backward, shaking his head. Curtains of finest silk swayed around him as he tried to hide behind them. "No. No, you lying scum. Morokata would never do that to me."

"Of course he will! He's using you as a tool against me and Neko!"

It was as though Kataji was slapped across the face when Abihiko said that name.

His nostrils flared and eyes lit up with hatred. "Shut up!! Are you any better, then? Using me as your tool, too? Because I would fucking prefer to be a tool of Morokata's than yours!" His glare flicked to Nekohiko next, only now fully realizing that Nekohiko was, once again -- standing away from him. And next to Abihiko.

In fact... subtly, without even being aware he did it, Nekohiko had gravitated behind Abihiko's shoulder. As though safe only there. And wanting to be only there.

And nowhere else.

Pain stabbed Kataji's expression. A wet gleam shot through his eyes as he breathed out, his face contorted in fruitless fury.

"And his name is not Neko! It is not! His name is Itsuki! I Ordered him just now-- I am his Master! Itsuki -- come back to me! Do you hear me?"

For the first time since Abihiko had come here, he stilled.

His whole demeanor changed, in a flash.

"You did what--" he asked, numb.

Kataji trembled, barely suppressing his laugh full of desperation. "I gave him Blood Orders! I did! He made me -- he wanted to abuse me like all you scum do with your powers. So I had to--! I made him mine, and fall in love with me. I Ordered him to be happy! I erased any mention of you from his memory!"

...

Annmmm... shit, Nekohiko thought, twisting his hand toward his chest as though to touch his bleeding heart.

The agony in his soul right now!

He couldn't even help a moan from his lips, so intense the roar of pain was as Abihiko absorbed Kataji's words.

The Marriage Bond translated it all to Nekohiko -- within instants. Even before Nekohiko could hurry and tell Abihiko it was all lies.

And that none of Kataji's orders had worked.

All Nekohiko saw was the ghastly pallor of Abihiko's features as all blood drained from his skin.

"Abihiko," Nekohiko whispered, gentle.

...

His name, wrapped in Nekohiko's tender voice reached Abihiko even though the ruckus outside the bedroom was so damn loud. Abihiko's eyelashes flickered as he swept a doubtful gaze to Nekohiko. For a moment, all pain in Nekohiko's heart lifted, reflective of Abihiko's hopes.

Kataji's laughter cracked the brief pause of pure relief between them.

"I Ordered him! I -- his Master and his Maker! I ordered him -- and yet! He still talks to you and only looks at you and only clings to you! To you, who doesn't even deserve him! You dirty filthy liar and traitor! You murdered him, and he still crawls right back to you?! Are you two fucking kidding me?!"

Abihiko found Nekohiko's hand, his fingers crushing him in a demanding grasp. Just this one touch was enough to soothe him. He whipped his head toward Kataji again.

"You did what?" he repeated, cold.

"It didn't work -- I don't know why it didn't, but none of the Orders came through," Nekohiko quickly told him because he grew scared of that wrathful spark in Abihiko's eyes.

Abihiko left him by the door that was straining under the multiple Binding attacks from the other side. Instead, Abihiko went to Kataji -- as though to catch him and drag him after himself to meet Okinaga and his army.

But the way Abihiko looked now... it was truly menacing.

Nekohiko understood why Kataji backed away from him, shaken through.

"Of course it didn't work out," Kataji croaked, amidst his deranged laughter. "Nothing ever does, for me."

"It is just because those people you trust so much -- either Morokata or Hibiki -- didn't actually make you my Master! It has nothing to do with you!" Nekohiko cried at him, unable to believe Kataji's deranged words.

It was clear as day that something had been done to the blood orders because Nekohiko distinctly remembered them working the first few minutes after his new body had been made.

But only in the presence of Hibiki and Morokata. Likely, their presence was crucial. They had only made it seem as though it was dependent on Kataji.

In reality, one of them could be Nekohiko's Master.

But definitely not Kataji.

"He belongs to me -- not you!" Kataji was telling Abihiko all this while, ignoring anything Nekohiko told him. "How is it fair that you have everything and I have nothing? Even the people you destroy and I have to build up from scratch?! You destroyed him; I healed him back up! This is NOT fair!"

His voice broke higher and higher because Abihiko was nearing him, and so much cold threat was in Abihiko's movements that Kataji's panic only increased.

The laughter on his lips more and more resembled sobs now...

"He does not belong to me or you," Abihiko told him, quiet. "He is his own person, you know."

"Easy for you to say -- you who have always had everything thrown at your feet! Have you ever fought for anything in your life? Have you ever sacrificed anything or devoted yourself fully to? You're... privileged... greedy... unworthy! Only a slut like him would ever love you--"

...

A hard punch rang through the rooms, stopping Nekohiko's heart for a second.

"AnnngH!" Kataji yelped, unsteady on his feet.

Pained, Nekohiko darted through the curtains, ready to drag Abihiko away from beating Kataji up. Yet of course he didn't need to.

Abihiko had it under control: his emotions, his anger, his disbelief at Kataji's claims.

Only one firm imprint of a smack reddened against Kataji's face. The young man almost fell to his knees before Abihiko, holding his knuckle to his face as though to shield it from further attacks. His huge, watery eyes looked up at Abihiko, both pleading -- and full of spite.

Full of defiance.

"You have never had anything taken away from you, have you?" Kataji mumbled, tears spilling out of his eyes.

"He was never yours, to begin with. When will you understand?" Abihiko told him evenly. Nekohiko crashed into him, throwing wary glances back to the door which he knew wouldn't hold for long.

"We need to leave now, or--"

With an inhuman force of will, Abihiko extended his arm toward Kataji as though offering to help him up. "Let's go," he said, so bad at containing the strain in his voice. "We need to get you to safety."

"NO! Go to hell, both of you--"

"Kataji, this was not a suggestion!" Abihiko roared. Rough, he ripped Kataji's hand up and pulled him toward himself against Kataji's meek resistance. "Nobody asks what you think."

...

All of a sudden, Kataji's pale lips twitched in a mirthless smile. "Are you sure about that? I am the Emperor now. Not you."

As though with his sixth sense, Nekohiko felt the subtle shift in the shadows behind him -- before a hard kick from the back landed squarely into his side. Shoving him away from both siblings, hard.

Abihiko shouldered Kataji out of the way, already casting his spells to kill the perpetrator on the spot.

But there was no chance in hell he would be able to.

Not to this person. She had managed to survive so many powerful Binders who had engaged with her in deathmatches, before.

She was too good to hope that a single Binder would be able to get rid of her this easily

In the last attempts to recuperate from her strike, Nekohiko rolled to the floor instead of crashing to it. His eyes pinned into his attacker. His whole body went clammy and hot and shaken, just from his proximity to her.

And from what it might entail.

A dark figure.

A small, slender silhouette. A woman with stiff, dismissive features and such a recognizable gaze. One he could never truly forget or stop from hurting him whenever he met it.

Nao.

"Save me from them," Kataji begged her.

And coolly, she gave him a glance that Nekohiko could only perceive as:

"Sure. On it."

 

 

---

***

 

This terrible woman had never been personal with her trade.

Everything was business-like and emotionless for her. So many people had died under her knives and her gruesome magic, yet she never even seemed as though she cared.

Nekohiko did not understand her.

And somehow -- that made her all the more frightening for him to face.

Though a human, her actions and choices had always wafted of being... dummy-like. Mechanical. Almost inhumanly pragmatic.

Like lightning, a spray of tiny dart-knives flew at Abihiko's face as Nao slashed her hand outward.

Abihiko didn't spare a moment to doubt. Fists smashing the ground, he Split half the room's floor and raised it up before him like a wall. Trying to cut Nao away and not let her close no matter what.

"Neko, get back!" he commanded.

With how little magic he could use now, Nekohiko didn't argue. He sprang toward Abihiko and stilled next to him, readying for any sneak attacks Nao or any other enemy might pull.

Kataji, for example. Or someone else.

After all -- the room was still locked from the inside. How had Nao gotten here?

Nekohiko snapped his head to the sides, searching for any trace of a hidden passage or a trapdoor the woman must have used. The bedroom of Sakami's quarters was not very large, but it was peppered with separator screens and all these annoying hanging curtains that made the room downright impossible to see through. Like a jungle of messy tangles. Horrible for holding one's ground against a full-on assault.

Though that was no longer the case.

Of course Nao shifted to outrun the jagged walls of stone and gold Abihiko was raising from the floor with his spells. That caused her to lose her edge.

And once she was in the defensive rather than attacking mode -- Abihiko felt comfortable changing his spells, too. From making walls to flinging fire waves at her -- setting all the pretty curtains on fire.

Heat surged inside the room. Another flash of a fire whip sliced the air. Abihiko pushed Nekohiko to the side, in his element now that he had an advantage in the fight.

"Take care of Kata. I will get rid of her," he threw to Nekohiko before launching himself forward through the walls that fell apart the moment he charged.

He brandished a few other choice Hira spells he loved so much, so Nekohiko wasn't particularly worried about him.

Abihiko could handle it. Nao was a non-Binder, even if she was highly-skilled in Dark Sisterhood curses. But curses were like arrays and incantations -- long to make, taking a lot of patience and effort to drive to completion. Not so easy to do while under such a relentless assault as the one Abihiko subjected her to.

The problem was in those dozens of Binders who were pounding into the room now.

Closer and more imminent with each new strike on the flimsy spells keeping the door and the walls of the room together.

And then -- with a thunderous crack shaking the entire room through -- the door collapsed. And into the fiery room, poured Binders.

Imperial Guards, set solely on containing and suppressing Abihiko's rampage.

"Catch the prisoner!"

"Protect the Emperor now!"

Kataji, too -- was screaming at them to come and save him. Which only added to the cacophony already going on.

The young man clearly wouldn't need protection from his side now, so Nekohiko fled -- aiming straight to where the surges of Abihiko's powers were in the center of the room. He saw how Abihiko had to split his focus to fight both Nao and the oncoming Binders. His movements hastened with smaller, less dangerous spells, but his concentration broke down. Oh, how quickly the fight shifted back into defensive mode on Abihiko's part.

He had simply too many people to fight.

The Imperial Guards prepared a multi-person formation to cast Leashing and trapping spells at him while their offensive dummies shot rows of smaller attacking ice and fire spells to distract Abihiko with. A bad combination. Abihiko had to prepare his counter-spell against them -- all while dodging Nao, too...

The woman gave him no mercy now that she had numbers on her side and real Binders helping. Her silvery blades flickered here and there, prodding Abihiko's defenses for any breach.

And with how distracted he was -- she was bound to find it.

Deadly silent, she hopped and dashed to stay on his blind side. Then, with a skittering run -- she swung her leg into his ankles to trip him while in her hand -- a sliver of a thin blade shone.

Oh please.

Nekohiko's boot flew at her from the back. Narrowly missing the slippery woman who rolled aside at the last moment, he assumed his position back to back with Abihiko. His nerves twitched in frenzy, making his limbs shake ever so slightly, but he didn't let his fear consume him.

Just seeing Abihiko before her -- and that knife in her hand...

"No," he told her.

She had taken from him Saho, Hachiro, Kusaki.

She had taken from him Yakabe.

And lastly -- Suminoe.

Rage fueled him to move and protect the only one person in the world he could not allow her to take, too.

Anyone, but Abihiko, you bitch!

His kick shoved her aside. And even though she regrouped and rolled instead of collapsing, it was still a mighty kick. Her breath huffed out of her mouth and her eyes flashed to him. As though not expecting him to inconvenience her so.

Did she really think he was so useless without his magic that he couldn't kick her in he needed?

"I'll take her," Nekohiko slipped to Abihiko. "Deal with the Binders."

"Mnn. Don't you dare cast even a single tiny spell. Okinaga is nearby!" Abihiko shot right back, only for Nekohiko's annoyance to flare up.

"I know, idiot!"

...

The roar of Binding swooshed through the air as Abihiko fixed all of his attention on the guards and dummies that came onto him. With Nekohiko taking care of Nao, Abihiko had free reign to do whatever the hell he wanted.

Which, as they both knew -- was not something these lesser Binder could deal with.

The room gradually started to feel like a furnace with the sheer amount of fire spells that were coming.

Nekohiko slowly straightened, looking Nao down. She crouched a few feet away amidst the smoldering curtains.

Just as ten years ago when he had seen her for the very first time on that street in Izumo town, her stare gave him chills and her menacing and methodical pulling of her thin blades from her belt -- almost petrified him.

Like it had done back then.

Such malice and indifference... directed at him. It frightened him, even now.

But he was no longer a little scared boy. He had someone to protect, and today, he had all the tools at his disposal to do so.

"Neko!" Abihiko cried out as a metallic hiss escaped his side. A shine of a recognizable sword reflected the fiery inside of the room, and elation swooped in Nekohiko.

Maple Apple!

Abihiko threw it at him, and Nekohiko caught it. The smooth handle lay so comfortably in his fingers. So satisfyingly.

Now he truly had all the best tools at his disposal, huh.

Nao took his momentary distraction with the sword as her signal and sprang up. Mid-air, she swerved, and a pelting of several thin knives slashed through the room at Nekohiko.

As if! Nekohiko thought.

His hand acted without him having to think about it. One fast motion in the air -- and Maple Apple clanged, meeting and deflecting every single of the knives thrown.

No time to savor the moment -- because Nao already skittered to the side, attempting to lose him and attack from the back as she loved to do.

Nekohiko didn't let her. His sword made an arch. Ringing, one of the knives he had met swung back at him -- falling squarely into his free hand. Nao was already sending a new wave of throwing rings at him, but he was ready. Maple Apple was like a whip in his hand, catching and deflecting each weapon that flew at him. Most of those -- he sent right back at her. All while weaving past the columns and singed curtains that were slowly filling the air with smoke.

The stench of burned flesh and the agonized cries of the Binders unlucky to have met Abihiko -- also punctuated the background, but he hardly noticed. Only set on catching up to the slippery woman. Only set on finally stopping her from ruining his life.

His pulse roared in his ears and his teeth seemed cracking, so hard he gritted them in his mouth.

Dash, swivel -- crouch when another bout of daggers zoomed at him. Duck from a sear of flames or an Utsuro Splitting spell. Kick aside an unfortunate dummy that got in his way. But all this time -- not letting Nao out of his sight.

Then once he had a good shot at her, he released that knife he'd caught earlier. He flung it at her head full-force. Fully intending to kill.

She dodged it of course, but lost her momentum.

And that was when he got her. Afraid to lose her at a weakened position, he flung Maple Apple next and she -- did not expect that.

Him losing both weapons at once, singly to get her.

For a moment, she dithered. But Nekohiko already swung a boot at her knee, as hard as he could. She didn't even have time to evade him.

His heel dug into the knee junction, and the most delicious crack split his hearing as the knee gave in. Bending at an unnatural angle.

...!

The woman shuddered but made no sound. Only prepared some other deadly attack on him, whipping both her hands toward his face.

But he no longer cared. He got her.

She wouldn't be running anymore. And with how eel-like she was, constantly keeping her distance and escaping, this was everything he had ever wanted. Just to have her before him. Unable to run or dodge.

Except that--

His heart lurched when he realized there were no weapons in her hands as she tried to fight him off.

And no fists her hands were making.

She really was just reaching toward him, fingers splayed far more in the gesture of... holding some strings in them rather than to hit him. And as the familiar, horrible sensation inside him strengthened -- he knew what she was trying to do.

The feeling came deep from his heart like a stirring of hatred and blinding anger. One that he recalled most vividly from his and Abihiko's wedding night. When the Dark Sisterhood's curse had been the strongest inside him.

Controlling him, guiding him. Making him a Puppet of his emotions...

...

The wretch was trying to evoke the Dark Sisterhood curse within him again.

And though he and Abihiko had fixed it in Ise, the curse hadn't truly been dissolved. It had only been dampened. Because for as long as this was the body he was using, the curse would never truly let him go.

It was tied to his emotions, after all. And his emotions, however subdued, always existed.

...

For a brief moment, Nekohiko felt the urge to submit to the easy drag of resentment and spite inside him. But it was so easy for him just... not to.

Like the Ise Spirits and Priests had taught him:

He didn't have to give the curse fuel.

Pity this wicked woman had no idea. Perhaps he should tell her.

"I am not your Puppet," he whispered, leaning closer, his boot only crackling through her knee that much harder.

Enjoying every bit of squirming pain that rushed through her black eyes as she stared at him in mute surprise. Her breath escaped her flaring nostrils as pain only deepened from her broken knee.

Muscles on her neck tensed up; her fingers trembled as she tried, again and again, to push the Dark curse to finally resurface from within Nekohiko's mind and body.

And he felt it, of course. He felt the surge of hatred and spite she was trying to access within him.

Toward Abihiko, yes?

"Are you dumb?" he asked her with a feral grin spreading on his lips. "I can only have resentment toward him if I still think he has wronged me."

With a cruel rush, Nekohiko's hands lashed at Nao's throat, closing in to crush. To squeeze. To maybe break -- as deliciously as her knee had done.

"Nao," he told her, barely suppressing the resentment she was so desperately trying to summon. "Your curse is working, don't worry. But I really hope you realize who all my resentment is now focused on."

...

Guess, bitch.

You are smart enough to guess correctly on the very first try.

 

 

---

***

 

Argh, it felt so good, to indulge himself in the fury that had burned him so deeply in his weeks spent in Abihiko's presence. The same exact flavor of vengefulness, only now finding such a beautiful target to pour it all into.

His sight almost went white with blinding anger, and at the back of his mind, he even got scared to miss the sight of having this despicable person in his arms.

So vulnerable and broken underneath him.

He wanted to revel in the moment. To tell her about every single person she had taken from him -- and how much he had always wanted to pay her for that.

The pulse in his sight blinked white and red, mad and drunken while his body shook with tension.

His fingers dug in, already bending the supple bones in the woman's throat when--

All the anger and spite suddenly gushed out of him as though never there. With a pained gasp, he gulped in the air -- realizing that Nao must have stopped her Puppeteering spell. To save herself from his fury.

Smart woman.

She had always been.

Not that it changed anything.

Nekohiko shook his head, getting rid of the last bits of foggy Puppetry that had dared to control him. Then wanted to go on and finish what he had begun. Nao tried to stab him with another knife she slid out of her sleeve. He caught her hand, twisting her wrist to break it too...

He needed to break all of her bones to feel fully safe in her vicinity.

Yes, even after she would die in his chokehold like this. Even then, he still would never feel secure with her around.

Her other arm desperately tried to pry his fingers off her throat. Her lips opened and closed, seeping in breaths that were slowly being tinged with a red drizzle over her mouth and chin.

He was crushing her windpipe.

"Remember these names," Nekohiko growled at her, leaning close. "Saho. Hachiro. Kusaki--"

Nao's eyes skittered as she tried to find any last escape route and clearly saw none. Vaguely, Nekohiko was aware of the battle between Abihiko and enemy Binders in the background. And even about Kataji's presence somewhere near...

But if Kataji planned to help Nao free herself, Nekohiko was certain he could break the woman's neck before that.

No way she would escape him this time.

No way in hell.

Yet as she finally raised her bloodshot eyes to meet his and as her lips quivered around her next words...

His hand squeezing her throat in it -- finally -- wavered.

And paused.

Long enough to let him hear what she was telling him.

Or better yet -- what she was selling.

Because from what he had learned about her and everyone of her ilk -- she was notoriously good at serving several masters at once. Which meant she knew exactly what goods to sell them. And why.

Those goods were always knowledge.

"I know... who the real... blood master of your body -- is," she croaked out into his face.

...

"--and how to... stop h... him..."

 

 

---

***

 

Dammit, Nao.

You are good, at this, aren't you?