Collaborations

"Toy with them?" Yako asked when we were about to leave the room.

The bass beats were thumping, as though the music wanted in on the action. 

"Up to you. You are my host, you decide the rules of the hunt."

That evil glint in his eyes can be hateful at times.

"I take one and you take the other," he said.

Yeah, the bastard was not going to be that generous to give me two. At least one was enough. I would be very worried if he gave them all to me. Now my worries are reduced to half. Two adult virgins were a rare find, since I could remember. Unless they were carefully prepared for sacrifices to appease the spirits, or to serve the gods. 

The latter, you really don't want to touch. Think of what happened to my dear old daddy. Daddy dearest was an eight-headed serpent yōkai. From memories, a very charming one in his human form. That's how he seduced his virgin victims and got away with it over the millennia.

The dumb ass just decided he was too good at it and wanted to fuck some god's virgin. However, the victor has always written history. He is now portrayed as an exaggerated hideous monstrosity and set up as a shining example to the rest of us to fuck off.

"How about playing the lovers who accidentally stumbled into them?"

Seriously, that old fogey of a kitsune was pushing his luck. Role play my ass. Yeah, like that would make me vulnerable to his close range seduction spell. Fortunately, serpent yōkai, like my kind, are quite immune to the charms of any yōkai, even the kitsune. We are just rare on land. 

"If you want to, why not?"

Yako stepped closer to me and grabbed me by the waist with that wicked smile. Think food, quick. That's the only way to make it believable. My tongue slowly licked my lips. Damn, it's quite chapped. A few licks will do. Should have worn that moisturizing lip plumper. 

By the looks of it, he is gunning for the neck as his hand wanders around my waist. Ooowww, those kitsune fangs. 

"OwCh!" 

He jumped away and snarled while wiping away the blood on his lips with a hiss at me. 

Oops. My bad. Forgot to warn him about my serpent tattoo. That one will bite if bitten. We hide our heads that way. At least, my old man taught me something useful. Besides, females go nuts over his bad boy image. Eight heads equals eight tattoos. I inherited all eight after brother decided to follow in dad's footsteps. 

"Never tried serpent before?" I asked. 

Obviously not. 

"Let's go," he growled.

Old fucking grouch. It's just a bit of poison in the bite, that's all. Why that big fuss with all that growling? A Daiyōkai, like him, can neutralise it. A sting is all. Big fucking deal. Here he is staring as though he really wants to rip my neck off. Pussy. 

A snap of Yako's fingers. We are now in the basement. Dank, tick. Moist, tick. Damn lights, or it will be a perfectly comfortable environment for us serpents to hunt in. Can't win it all. A quick sniff in the air… ahhhh sweet sweet virgin. 

Got to wipe off my drool. Oh god, the smell of virgin makes me so hungry. Besides, the black Prada suit on me is due for dry cleaning tomorrow, so getting it a bit dirty today will be well worth the cost of that bloody dry cleaner who likes to overcharge. 

The only threat is Yako, five meters ahead. In his true kitsune form… well, not that true. He had shrunk it for purposes of navigating with ease. The true form can probably be as big as the entire building. Or bigger. 

Guess that he is too pissed to even play out his suggestion. Even with his back turned against me, nothing is as easy as it looks. His ten tails were deadly. Those can strangle, tie or do deadly strikes.

I wonder… do those tails still burn easily? 

***

Masakage examined the small blackish tell tale mark of a serpent's bite on Yako's lip. 

"The BITCH BIT me."

He raised his eyebrow at a fuming Yako. Usually when a Daiyōkai or a yōkai injures Yako, they don't live to talk about it. Kuro Shinde, or rather Yamata no Kurohime by her old name, would be easy for Yako since she is one of the youngest Daiyōkai. Instead of killing her on the spot, he did the unbelievable - allow her to feast on two humans in his territory. 

"The poison will last for an hour or so once your blood neutralises it. Maybe half an hour since you just fed on three humans. So, are we working with her?" Masakage asked.

"Yeah, we are collaborating with that stupid bitch."

Masakage coughed politely at the plain irony. Norimitsu and he always knew that the serpents were off limits. Yako, his superior and the one with the most experience, went to toy with one despite the last lesson. 

"Are you sure?" Masakage asked. 

"Yes. I want to FUCK her… UP."

"As you wish." Masakage was suppressing the urge to laugh. 

Yeah. No. Yako didn't want to fuck her up. He wanted to fuck her hard. Masakage bit his lip at that thought. Same shit. Different situation. Same Daiyōkai. Kuro had avoided them after the last incident five hundred years ago, when she set one of Yako's tails on fire. 

A smile appeared on his face. The plan worked out fine. It was a good idea to ask Yako to replace him. Ahh, fun. 

"What's with that look," Yako snarled in fury. 

"If you, um, want to do that, you better visit Yamata no Orochi first. For approval. You know… meet the father?"

A shoe came flying at him. Masakage dodged and ran out of the open door, shutting it. Just in time to hear another loud thud on the door. And then he walked right smack into Norimitsu. 

Norimitsu sighed. "Judging by his tantrum, we are finally going on a hunt for Kuro? "

Masakage shook his head and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Nope, Shinde Inc. and us are in collaboration now. Can't kill partners."

Norimitsu was blinking in surprise at him.