16. Kitsuki

Chapter 16

Kitsuki

N ight fell, bringing with it an awkwardness Kitsuki found difficult to address. It was the first evening Auslin was awake for, which meant Kitsuki had to ask a question that could lead to disappointment. "Would you like to sleep else?—"

Auslin leveled a disapproving frown at him. "You better not be asking me if I'm sleeping somewhere else. The only place I want to be with is you."

It soothed Kitsuki's fears to hear Auslin say it with such decisiveness. "And you are welcome to. My concern is I do not wish to make you uncomfortable."

Auslin stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside. "Does this make you uncomfortable?"

Kitsuki's dragon purred at the promise of what was being offered, but he kept it on a short leash. It was too soon to move on to anything sexual, especially when his dragon was ready to lay claim to Auslin, official Royal Consort Fatebonding ceremony be damned. "No." His answer was somewhere between a truth and a lie.

"Really?" Auslin undid the fastener on his breeches. "You sure about that?"

Kitsuki swallowed hard. "Is there some reason you are tempting me?"

"I want to be close to you again."

The dragon inside Kitsuki snarled at him for not promptly taking advantage of such a tempting offer. The struggle between doing what he wanted and what he should was a tough battle. "You may do as you wish."

Auslin stripped down to his briefs before getting under the covers and scooting closer to the middle of the bed. The fact that he hadn't gotten completely naked made it a little easier to breathe, but not by much. Kitsuki took a deep breath before using his magic to remove all his clothes, save for the last article of clothing that preserved his modesty.

Once Kitsuki got into bed, Auslin wasted no time curling up at his side as he had done so often in the past. It was the best kind of heaven as Kitsuki held him close and savored the sweet smell of his intended wearing his claiming mark. For the first time in centuries, he could feel himself fully relaxing as he rubbed Auslin's upper arm that was slung over him.

"Can I ask a really awkward question?"

Kitsuki braced himself. "You may."

"Earlier, Kio called you a virgin. Is that because he was being a cruel asshole?"

"It was." Kitsuki waited a moment before he admitted, "It was also the truth. Nasume desperately wanted to change that, but I would never allow it. You are the only one I want to be intimate with. That has never changed."

Auslin hid his face against Kitsuki's chest, but he could feel the mage's flushed cheeks. "I'm super sorry about that."

"It is of no consequence."

"But don't people talk about it?" Auslin asked. "Any jealous rulers would probably use that to discount you, wouldn't they?"

Kitsuki shrugged. "I am confident there are those who make light of it and believe me weaker for not indulging in carnal pleasures with multiple partners, like Father and Mitsuki. But I let my peaceful and prosperous kingdom speak for itself. My people do not care if I have had sex. They only care their lives are good and they are not taxed into poverty."

Auslin nuzzled against Kitsuki. "You're so good at taking care of people." He fell silent for a few moments before he spoke again. "How does that work, anyway?"

"How can they tell I am still a virgin?" Kitsuki asked, not entirely sure what Auslin was asking.

The mage nodded. "Yeah. Because we did plenty of other things that were intimate. Sure, you haven't penetrated me with your cock yet, but you've had your fingers and tongue inside me, which I feel like that should count." Auslin hid his face with a groan. "Sorry, I don't know why I'm overthinking this. I don't understand how anyone can smell if you're a virgin or not."

Kitsuki stroked Auslin's hair to soothe his embarrassment. "It is difficult to describe. I do not profess to understand how the act of coming inside someone affects anything, but both partners' scents mature together when it happens. Think of it like a fruit. When it ripens, it smells better than before."

"Meaning it's not that you smell dirty or bad, but like a more elevated version of your normal scent?"

Kitsuki nodded. "Exactly. It is a good thing."

"I'm sorry you've had to wait so long for me."

"You forgot I waited hundreds of years before I met you, even with Nasume hounding me," Kitsuki reminded him. "It was my choice to wait for the person who was worth sharing myself with. I always wanted that to only be my fated mate. I will never regret waiting this long for you. You are worth it."

"How can that make me feel so good and guilty at the same time?" Auslin asked with a laugh. He propped himself up to give Kitsuki a sweet kiss. "Thank you for being so patient with me. I promise it'll be worth it."

Kitsuki brushed Auslin's hair from his eyes. "It already is."

The mage grinned. "Uh-oh, it looks like your inner romantic has awoken from its long slumber."

"You have always brought out the best in me."

Auslin stole another kiss before resting his head on Kitsuki's chest once more. "I'm probably going to regret asking this, but did Kizoshi give you any cryptic warnings while I was gone I should be aware of?"

Kizoshi had hinted several times throughout the years that Ariake men would always desire more than one partner, but Kitsuki found the notion laughable. No one could compare to Auslin. It wasn't worth considering. "She did not mention anything about what would happen after you returned to this time. I must admit, I am shocked it has taken her this long to appear. Given how fond of you she is, I expected her to arrive by now. But she will get here at the exact right time, like she always does."

"I hope she comes soon. I have so many things I want to ask her."

Kitsuki chuckled. "I am sure she will give you more cryptic answers than you will know what to do with."

"I'd almost be disappointed if she didn't." Kitsuki thought Auslin had fallen asleep until he said, "It feels like something big is about to happen."

"If you are right, then Kizoshi will inevitably be involved." His sister had a knack for being at the center of trouble. It was fortunate for Kitsuki that she was always on his side. Anyone who made a foe of Kizoshi deserved her legendary wrath.

But Kitsuki agreed with Auslin. Something ominous loomed on the horizon.

Kitsuki held in a sigh when a knock interrupted them. Although he didn't want to, he called out, "Enter!"

The door opened to reveal Tyrian, who had a pinched look on his handsome face. "Sorry to interrupt, cousin. But there is an urgent issue for you to deal with at the castle gates."

"I shall return," Kitsuki told Auslin. He used his magic to redress before getting out of bed.

"What is the problem?" Kitsuki asked as he walked to the exit with his cousin.

"Kio is causing a ruckus. I am more than happy to take care of dismissing him, but we both know he will refuse to leave until he has spoken with you."

Kitsuki recalled his sword from his enchanted armoire, more than willing to use it to end Kio's miserable excuse for a life.

Together, they headed to the castle gates. Kitsuki's jaw was tight with irritation as he heard Kio yelling about seeing Auslin. It made the shifter monarch grateful his intended was blissfully unaware in their bed. Auslin was not one to wait in the wings, especially with Kio, so it was better that he didn't know about what was going to happen.

Once Kitsuki was close enough, he gestured for the guards to stand down. Tyrian stayed close behind, always ready to be his king's right-hand man.

Kitsuki's tone was terse as he addressed Kio. "I believe it has been made very clear you are not welcome at this castle."

"Too bad for you that our old man actually liked me," Kio smugly argued. "You have no right to deny me entrance."

"As king of this castle, Valzerna, and the head of the Ariake clan, I have every right to deny you anything I damn well please," Kitsuki informed him in a steely voice, which didn't faze Kio in the least. "You will remove yourself from the premises now, or else I will ensure you are permanently removed from this realm."

"Ha, that's awful big talk coming from you when you can't do a damn thing to me!"

Kitsuki lifted his sword in a silent threat. "I can make you hurt in ways you cannot even imagine. This is your last chance to leave alive."

"I'm not leaving until I've met with Auslin," Kio shot back. "I'll make him see the error in his ways so we can be together again."

"Very well." Kitsuki drew his sword on his youngest brother. "If you refuse to see reason, I will grant you the death you are so eager to have."

Kio held his sword up in self-defense but was prevented from attacking when Auslin rushed up to them. "What are you two doing?"

"Permanently ridding us of this pathetic stain of an existence," Kitsuki growled, assuming an offensive stance. Nothing good could come from letting Kio live.

"Not if I kill you first, asshole!" Kio launched a preemptive attack, only to be thrown back by Auslin erecting a barrier between them. "What the fuck, Auslin?"

"No one is fighting anybody," Auslin angrily told them. "Stop this nonsense!"

Kitsuki never took his eyes off Kio. "It is my right to stop him from further attempts at besmirching your reputation."

"That doesn't mean you have to kill him!" Auslin shot back. "Kio, why can't you accept that it's over between us and leave me to my happiness with my fated mate?"

"Because there's no way you'll ever be happy with this prissy Ice King," Kio snapped. "I'm the only person who can give that to you!"

"When was the last time you ever made me happy?" Auslin crossed his arms over his chest. "Because I sure can't remember."

"I've made you happy plenty of times! Happier than this asshole will ever be able to make you. He doesn't even know what happiness is!"

Kitsuki snarled as his dragon came to the surface. "We have heard enough! Kio, this is your final warning to leave and never come back. Otherwise, you will leave us no choice but to end your pathetic existence here and now."

"How serious can you be when you haven't actually mated him yet?" Kio jeered. "You haven't even fucked him! Is that because you're so frozen you can't get it up?"

It was more insult than Kitsuki or his dragon could bear. He launched himself at Kio, only to be driven back by the same barrier erected by Auslin. When Kitsuki tried to use magic to attack Kio instead, it harmlessly dissolved against the protective bubble Auslin used to separate the feuding brothers. "Auslin! Remove this barrier at once so we can rid ourselves of his odious presence at long last." Kitsuki's dragon was extremely displeased at being prevented from finally having justice.

"No! I'm not dropping it until you both quit trying to kill each other."

Although Kitsuki hated doing it, the matter was too important to allow interference. His dragon warned Auslin, "We will shatter it if we must. This cannot be allowed to go on any longer. We have tolerated his insolence for the last time!"

"Fine, break it," Auslin heatedly challenged Kitsuki. "I'll erect another one as soon as you do!"

"You won't have to make another barrier because I'll already have killed him," Kio retorted with a smug laugh. "You'll never be rid of me, Auslin!"

"Both of you need to stop this madness. Kio, it's over! Please move on and leave me alone."

"It's over when I say it's over!" Kio snarled.

Auslin had far more patience than Kitsuki. "I've moved on with my life. Nothing you can say or do will ever make me go back to you."

Kio drew himself to his full height with a menacing gleam in his eyes. "Don't be so sure of that. I'll have you, one way or another."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Auslin demanded.

Sheathing his sword, Kio looked at Kitsuki. "Fine. I'll let you have this round, asshole. But the next one is mine. It'll be the best revenge ever and make Auslin hate you as the ultimate fuck you."

Before Kitsuki could demand an explanation, Kio had turned on his heel and casually walked away with a wave at Auslin, as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary. Kitsuki finally sheathed his sword once Kio's presence had moved far enough away to not be an actual threat.

Only then did Kitsuki turn to look at Auslin, his dragon refusing to retreat yet. "You should not have interfered."

"If I didn't, you would have killed him!" Auslin exclaimed in outrage.

"And what exactly is the problem with that?"

"He's your brother ," Auslin reminded Kitsuki. "You can't kill him just for being a mouthy asshole!"

Kitsuki's dragon narrowed his eyes in irritation. "As head of our family's clan and ruler of this kingdom, we may carry out such punishments as we see fit."

"Why can't you understand I don't want him killed because of me?" Auslin angrily questioned. "Why do you want me to live with that awful guilt for the rest of my life?"

"He is not worthy of such emotions," Kitsuki's dragon tried to reason with Auslin. "You should feel nothing but happiness that he finally isn't around to cause you pain anymore."

"That wouldn't make me feel better!" Auslin exclaimed in frustration. "That would actually make me feel worse!"

"Then you wish to return to him?" Kitsuki's dragon arched an eyebrow in silent challenge.

Auslin threw his hands up in frustration. "Why is that your logical conclusion to my protests?"

Rather than answering, Kitsuki's sullen dragon silently looked at Auslin with an unreadable expression. It seemed to further irritate the mage.

"Why are you being so unreasonable?" Auslin demanded.

"We are not the one being unreasonable." The argument pained Kitsuki and his dragon. It was an awful reminder of how different he was from his days as Kitaro.

"Oh, and I am?" Auslin incredulously demanded as he pointed at himself. "Yes, I am such an unreasonable, awful person asking you not to murder your brother ."

"Half," Kitsuki's dragon reflexively corrected. "Do not let your humanity excuse his odious behavior. He does not deserve mercy."

Auslin stared defiantly at Kitsuki. It riled his dragon that Auslin was not submitting to them.

Since his dragon wasn't having any luck, Kitsuki pushed him back into his cage before walking closer to Auslin. He reached out to physically reassure him, but the mage stepped back and out of reach. The rejection burned. Kitsuki could only stare down at Auslin in silent questioning.

"Is being human really so odious to you?" Auslin looked down, refusing to meet Kitsuki's gaze.

The question was not the direction Kitsuki expected the argument to go. "It is not Kio's humanity I find so objectionable but his strong familial resemblance to Father and Mitsuki's unconscionable behavior."

The comment finally made Auslin look up at Kitsuki with a pleading gaze. It moved the shifter monarch despite his rage. Kitsuki had always been weak against Auslin's lavender gaze in the past, and apparently, nothing had changed in the intervening centuries. He reached out to stroke Auslin's cheek. It was a relief when Auslin didn't pull away from his touch. "Do you not understand I would rather rid this realm of him than allow him to hurt you for one more day?"

Auslin covered Kitsuki's hand with his own, then nuzzled against it. It went a long way to reassuring Kitsuki. "And I appreciate that sentiment," Auslin said, the defensiveness finally leaving his voice. "But that doesn't mean that you get to kill Kio. That would hurt me more than anything he can say or do to me. I can't have his death on my conscience."

"He is unworthy of such kindness," Kitsuki coldly told Auslin, even as he admired his lover for the strength of his forgiving heart.

"Probably," Auslin agreed with a heavy sigh. "But I won't change my mind about this. He can run his mouth all he wants. It changes nothing. I want to be with you and only you. He's not a threat to us."

"I wish I could share your certainty," Kitsuki sighed. His instincts warned him worse was still to come from Kio's attempts at trying to win back Auslin. But he couldn't bear having his intended upset with him. "Very well. I will abide by your wishes for now. But should he become a threat to your safety, I will put an end to it."

"Not even he's stupid enough to physically hurt me. It'll be fine." Auslin went up on his tiptoes to kiss him for it. It helped ease some of Kitsuki's discomfort with staying his hand for the time being. "Thank you for caring so much. I'm sorry I'm asking you to go against your nature, but this is too important."

Rather than acknowledging the point, Kitsuki let the matter drop. It was poor form to have such a public fight in front of his guards. "Come, let us return inside," Kitsuki suggested, guiding Auslin by the small of his back after he agreed.

Kio's warnings didn't sit well with Kitsuki. But regardless of what revenge Kio had plotted out, Kitsuki knew he would be the one victorious in the end. And if he got lucky, Kio would be banished to the Beyond Realm, where he belonged.