“Keeper,” Kai mused on the word for a moment. “I believe there are legends in Yamato of such people. They protect the realms, ensuring that the peoples never stray from the True Path. This Keeper, he mentioned you would face four enemies?” She leaned forward, keenly interested.
“Yes,” I replied. “I believe the Kitsune I fought in the temple was the first, and the Tree Spirit the second. Yakuna is the third. If what you say is true, this Shogun Morai might be the fourth and final foe in your world that we must face.”
“Then, my friend Nika is essential if you’re to complete your quest.” Kai gave a regretful sigh. “It was partly in search of Nika that I came traveling in this direction. I didn’t find her at Otara, but I thought that I would come and see my old friend Toshiro.” She glanced at Toshiro and smiled. “I wanted to find out if he knew anything about what was happening in this part of the land. I’m glad I arrived when I did.”
“As am I!” I said with some feeling. I was not only grateful for Kai’s help in the battle; I was very pleased to get to know the beautiful Yamato woman.
“For my part,” I said, “I want to cleanse the Festering, wherever I find it. But I believe we should face Yakuna before the Shogun. If the Shogun is as dreadful as he appears, then I will need every opportunity to grow in power before facing him.”
“I understand,” Kai said. “It makes sense to me that you should deal with Yakuna first. Then, when we go to fight the Shogun, we will at least know that we don’t have the threat of the corrupted Yakuna at our backs.”
“Well, that’s agreed then,” I said. “I propose that we spend what’s left of the day getting some rest and set out as early as possible tomorrow morning.”
Everybody agreed to that. Cara kissed me and headed up to our room, where Toshiro assured us that there would be food waiting. Kai bowed to us all and left to see her warriors and camp with them.
“There’s one thing I want to attend to before I go to my rest,” I said to Toshiro. “Will you come with me?”
The old samurai nodded and followed me through the house. We went outside and headed for the lake. There, in the shade by the water, the remaining Byakko rested in the shade of the trees. There were only twenty of them. Yasei lumbered to his feet and came over to me, and I put my hand on his great head as he bowed it to me.
“Your fellows have departed, then?” I asked him.
“Yes, they have gone. They will travel back north to our homeland. The ones who have decided to stay are all here.”
I looked around at the remaining tiger spirits. They were very impressive creatures, as big as horses, and much fiercer. Now, they seemed docile, dozing in the shade by the lake, but once they were back in battle, I knew that they would be a force to be reckoned with. I was glad to have them as part of my retinue.
Once I had explained to Yasei what my plan was and he had agreed, Toshiro and I walked back toward the house. Toshiro took his leave, saying that he wished to take a walk around in the wooded valley and see how things had changed. He made as if to bow to me, but I stopped him and clasped hands with him in a warrior’s grip instead. He looked at me questioningly.
“The others may bow to me if they wish,” I told him, “but let you and I treat one another as equals.”
He nodded to that.
I made my way alone through the big house and up the steps to our top floor room. I pushed the screen aside, to find Cara lounging on the sleeping mat. She had taken off the Persona and was wearing the revealing green dress which had been given to her the night we arrived. A sleepy murmur from her told me she was aware of my arrival. I thought of waking her, but decided against it.
There was food on the table as promised, and I spent some time satisfying my hunger. I undressed and washed in the warm water that had been provided, then lay down beside Cara. She rolled over and put a hand on my bare chest, then snuggled into me with a happy noise. I was dozing off when she spoke quietly, her warm breath tickling the hairs on my chest.
“You like her, don’t you?” she asked, with a smile in her voice.
“Who, Kai? Yes, actually, I do. She seems honest and strong, and a good fighter. And did I mention her breasts and her bronze skin?”
Cara laughed. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
“She is,” I said. “As are you.”
“I was thinking that if you were to bring her into our Persona-using circle... well, I’d like to be there when you do.”
The thought was exciting. I imagined the two women making love with me at the same time, Cara getting pleasure from being with us while I filled Kai with my seed and transferred that incredible power to her in the process.
“It would be an honor,” I said. “To have you both riding me, one on my cock and the other on my face. . . it would be almost enough to make me forget about Saxe.”
Cara made a high, lilting laugh. “I can’t decide which I would rather be, top or bottom.”
“What would you like to do if you were there?” I asked her playfully, reaching over to push the slick fabric of the dress up past her hip, revealing her shapely thighs.
“To taste you,” she said. “To taste of your power.”
She reached over and took my hand in hers, guiding it down between her
