Chapter Eighteen

He doesn't walk far before he meets up with White Lily that has been surrounded by some of the men of the crowd who watched the presentation, overwhelming her with their charming words and clamors of beauty; or at least it looked to be something among those lines; but once Takamori calls her she gives a half bow to all and follows behind the other man.

For a few moments they simply walk, getting away and far from the central plaza but still inside the fancy area, stopping only once they reach a very unique building among so many different extravagant ones.

The place is monumental, with red and dark oak wood on the building and over the walls with little roofs on top surrounding the place until we reach a square big gate that leads to the inside, a wooden board with scribbles at the front with a phoenix mid fly carved on the wood, plus the conifer trees pointing upwards along the outside walls, making a very charming entryway.

And yet, instead of going towards the main entrance where people from the streets entered and were greeted by a line of beautiful women bowing their way in, both keep walking along the walls until they reach the back of the place where a wooden door is hidden among the trees, easily passible in the eyes of others.

"You have done well White Lily. From now on you are truly one of us, so go inside, take a deep breath, change your clothes and don't forget to put your ribbon on the front. Tonight will be the most profitable night of your carrier, so take no less of what you deserve. Now chop chop, go there and look pretty, don't forget to act shy too, men love to deflower the pure and virgin."

"Of course Madam, don't worry, I won't mess it up.But…"

"But…?" At that he starts to wag his wooden fan on his face slowly, a signal of distress.

"I'm more worried about you. What was that all about? They were so… mean for nothing."

"What? With 'lady' Karina? Hon, she is not the first nor the last to threaten me. Believe me hon, they are all bark and no bite, and even for how sad it is this is how our kin is treated inside these walls, so better for you to get used to it too, rather here alive in this hell than dead out there for sure." White Lily doesn't look happy, but after a while and without a good answer nor solution to give she simply says:

"En… But still…" The woman says with a cast downgaze and a low voice, not satisfied with the outcome.

Suddenly, with a clack, Takamori closes the wooden fan loudly, bringing her attention up fast while, with a straight back and an arm behind him, he scolds her.

"What is that face for? Don't you have bigger problems to deal with right now? What man will want you with so many wrinkles of worry in that face of yours and such a long face? Geez, looks like you got out of a funeral, not your debuting presentation. You know what? Your face is annoying me right now and I'm sick of your voice, I don't want to see you any minute longer, go now, go, hurry up inside!"

"Madam, how cruel! I'm just worried about you!" She says, but starts backing off once Takamori starts hitting her with the fan.

"And who do you think I am for a little girl like you to worry about me? What could you do to help? Nothing, nothing at all, so go back to work! Your easy life ends now and you will work your bones off! Chop chop!"

Bing hit mercilessly on top of her head the woman is forced inside and soon after the door is closed behind her, Takamori staying on the now silent streets only to weight down a sigh.

"Silly girl, worry about yourself down here, otherwise the sharks will smell your blood…" Talking alone in a strange language; which makes me frown from the stress of thinking that I still had to learn another language apart from the one that I am currently struggling with; he takes a long thin pipe out from his vests, puts something at the tip and rests an arm inside his clothes over the belt.

With his other hand he puts the pipe in his mouth and takes a long drag of the smoke, only to let it out slowly through the mouth, watching as the grey smoke zigzags its way into the night.

Eyes cast towards nothing he seems to be in deep thought, and elegant figure with long fingers embracing the long pipe, black hair shaved on the side with locks of hair brushed to fall around and stay slightly on his face and almost cover his cat yellow eyes, thin lips and faintly round nose, with feminine features to top, with his lingering tasty smell that makes me want to present him in a silver plate, bound and served, and slice him up bit by bit…

I sniff around, eyes glued on his figure, tempted, far too tempted to jump up and taste him, even more when nothing, no reason existed to stop me from doing so.

So why not? I lick my palate, then my lips, already salivating for the upcoming meal as, like a spider, I make my way silently towards him, already in the dilemma of which part should I start eating from; The best one? The worst?

I look at his lowly figure standing on the street, back to the wall. There will be no bad-tasting part on this one, hehe.

Damn, I need a hidden place to suck on his juicy bones, I realize, it will be too wasteful to eat him up with one bite.

But of course with my sharp senses I'm able to tell when we are no longer alone, in fact, we have never been since they left the main plaza, after all some men, at the command of that woman, had started following him around from the getgo with no good intentions, muffling their footsteps to the best of their abilities.

Though it proves not to be enough.

"So… are you guys looking for an appointment with one of my girls or are you all just satisfied with looking at me from afar? I know that I'm pretty, but there is no need to be shy…" This time he lets the smoke out through his nose, turning his face around towards the darkness while the grey mist frames his bright eyes into a mysterious façade.

At that four men walk out of the darkness and, surprisingly, all had military uniforms on, that grey on white pattern, and smug expressions on their faces, one was even chewing on something with his mouth open and that's the one that talks:

"Takamori, the Black Raven… always thought to be a strange name for a whore like you…"

"What do you want?" They laugh at that, and Takamori seems to stand up in a more guarded position, leaving his feet apart and his hand frees yet casual, as if not wanting to appear to be on guard.

"Oh, Takamori… At least if you haven't quit your job I could have some reason to keep you alive… perhaps we can have some use for you before we finish you off… Aren't you happy? You are going out with style!"

At that their cocky smiles deepen as they advance, four to one surrounding their prey.

And trying to steal mine, again!

I growl at that.