Page 14 of Night of the Dragon

“Enough to defeat an oni lord,” I said, “the strongest demon Jigoku has ever known. Enough to keep the scroll hidden from the Kage demonslayer while traveling across half the country, and to stay alive when the immortal daimyo of the Shadow Clan wishes to kill you. And to make a Kage lord screech and dance like a marionette when an illusionary rodent scurries up his hakama.” The last bit made her chuckle, and it made me smirk, as well. I’d heard about Lord Iesada’s infamous tea ceremony from the ronin, and the disgraceful, hilarious way it had ended. I’d met the Kage lord only once, and though my human half was used to the casual arrogance and pomp of the nobles, my demon nature wanted to peel the haughty expression from his face and feed it back to him.

I sobered. “Enough to save a human soul from Jigoku, and an oni’s from being trapped in a sword for eternity,” I finished. Golden fox eyes met mine, and my heart gave a strange sideways lurch.

Chilled, I turned away, telling it to be still, to feel nothing. Gripping the edge of the crow’s nest, I stared out over the water. What was I doing? Every time Yumeko was this close, my guard would drop and my emotions were in danger of being exposed, which was how I’d lost myself to Hakaimono the first time. I was even more dangerous now, with my demon side unrestrained and so close to the surface that I could feel the anger and bloodlust simmering inside.

“Though you might come to regret that decision, once Genno is dead,” I told the kitsune at my back. “You might have saved Tatsumi, but you also saved a demon. Hakaimono is still here, don’t ever forget that.”

I felt her watching me, the wind tugging at our hair and making the platform sway. “Gomen, Tatsumi,” she said at last, making me frown in confusion. “I didn’t even ask if you wanted to become a demon. Do you wish I hadn’t saved you?”

“No,” I husked out. “I’m glad I’m here, that I have a chance to redeem myself by stopping the Wish and killing Genno. But... I can’t trust myself not to turn on everyone, enemy or friend.” Before, I could shut out Hakaimono’s anger and bloodlust because they weren’t mine. I had been trained to detach myself from all emotion, so I could control it. Now that viciousness was a part of me. Once I started killing, I might not be able to stop.

“I’m not afraid.”

Fear and anger flickered. She still didn’t understand what I was, what I could really do.Enough of this, Tatsumi. If you truly care for the girl, you’ll put a stop to this game right now. You’re a demon; you have no business hoping for anything. And if this continues, the day will come when you turn on her and she won’t see it coming. End this, once and for all.

Turning around, I let the rage bubble to the surface, the fury and bloodlust that was always there now, burning through my veins. I felt my horns grow red and hot, casting Yumeko’s face in a crimson glow. I felt fiery runes and symbols erupt along my arms and crawl up my neck, shining through my haori. As obsidian talons slid from my fingers, and curving fangs sliced up from my jaw, I stared at Yumeko and narrowed my eyes, which I knew were glowing a sullen red.

Yumkeo’s eyes widened, and she shrank back. For a moment, she stared at me, at the demon that had appeared on the platform with her. I kept my glare hard, dangerous, letting her see the bloodlust kept barely in check, ignoring the weary despair gnawing my insides. I didn’t want to do this to her. Yumeko was the first person who had ever seen me as something more than the Kage demonslayer, more than just the sword I carried. I hated that she would remember me like this: a demon. An oni lord, vicious and irredeemable. But it had to be done. Better to get this over with, that she learn to fear and hate me now, than wait for the day I inevitably betrayed her.

“This is what I am now,” I said coldly, letting Hakaimono’s harsh growl permeate my voice. “This is the merging of a demon and a human soul. I am grateful for what you did, Yumeko. Never think otherwise. But you should stay as far from me as you can. Otherwise this might be the last thing you ever see.”

Yumeko blinked, and her ears flattened to her skull. A strange expression crossed her face, one of defiance and determination, as if she were gathering all her reserves of courage. Before I had realized what was happening, she strode one step forward, took my face in both hands and kissed me.

What—?

Stunned, I went rigid, instantly losing my hold on the searing anger and bloodlust. Claws and fangs retracted, and the glowing symbols on my arms faded, dissolving to embers on the wind. My hands rose to grip her shoulders, feeling her body press close to mine, the rapid thudding of her heart against my chest.

It didn’t last long, the brief, gentle touch of her lips on mine. Just enough to completely turn my world upside down and leave me reeling before she pulled back. Dazed, I stared down at the kitsune, whose piercing golden eyes, open, determined and still completely unafraid, peered up at me.

“I trust you.” The words were a whisper into my soul. The tips of her thumbs brushed my cheek, unbearably tender, and I closed my eyes against the softness. “Oni or human, it doesn’t matter how your appearance changes. Your soul is still the same. I’m not afraid, Tatsumi, I can’t say it any clearer than that.”

“Yumeko.” Opening my eyes, I gazed down at the girl, gently curling my fingers around her wrist. She watched me, inhuman, naive, perfectly beautiful. She was going to be the death of us both, and I suddenly didn’t care.

“Oiiiiiiiii!”A shout came from below. “You in the crow’s nest! Eyes to the ocean! Can you see anything strange?”

A growl rumbled in the back of my throat, but I released Yumeko and pulled away, then glared down at the bottom of the mast. One of the sailors stood there, pointing frantically at the side of the ship.

“Something is out there!” he yelled as Yumeko also peered down, fox ears swiveling and curious. “In the water! It might be circling the ship, but we can’t make it out. Do you see anything up there?”

I looked over the black, glittering expanse of ocean, and a chill slid up my spine.

Therewassomething in the water. Something huge. I could see a massive shadow gliding just below the waves, the rising bump of water as it approached the ship. Instinctively, I went through my list of large sea dwelling yokai and bakemono—ushi oni, koromodako and the enormous umibozu—and none of them were things I wanted to meet in the middle of the ocean.

“What is that?” Yumeko wondered, her voice barely above a whisper, as if she were afraid anything louder would draw the shadow’s attention. I didn’t reply, fearing I knew the answer, desperately hoping I was wrong.

The bump grew larger, rising into the air as it drew close. With an explosion of seawater and the roar of a tsunami, something dark and massive emerged from the depths and loomed to a terrifying height as it towered over us. A humanoid figure, but black as night, with no discerning features except two glowing eyes in its smooth, bald head. Those eyes fixed on us as the monster stared down at us in the crow’s nest, its lanky form taller than even the ship’s mast. Yumeko gasped, and I cursed under my breath as my suspicions were confirmed. This wasnotwhat we needed right now.

“Umibozu!” someone screamed from the deck, a frantic voice ringing into the night.

Instant panic swept the ship as every sailor’s greatest fear—meeting the monstrous creature known as the umibozu in the middle of the ocean—was realized. Almost nothing was known of them—what they were, how they lived, if there were numerous umibozu deep in the ocean depths or if the huge, hulking form facing us now was the only one of its kind. It was unknown why the umibozu appeared when it did. It never spoke, made no demands nor gave any indication of what it wanted. But no ship survived an encounter with an umibozu; the giant creature, whatever it was, would rise out of the sea, smash a vessel to kindling and simply vanish into the depths once more.

Yumeko drew in a shaky breath as the umibozu stared at us, silent and unfathomable. Its huge head was nearly at eye level, though I couldn’t see my reflection in that flat, pale gaze. I could feel the fox girl trembling against me, though she stood firm beneath the alien stare.

“Um...hello,” Yumeko said softly, as the giant creature continued to observe us like insects. “We’re sorry if we’ve trespassed where we don’t belong. I don’t suppose you’re here to point us in the right direction, are you?”

Without a sound, the umibozu raised a giant, shadowy arm and smashed it toward us.

7

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