34. Kitaro

Chapter 34

Kitaro

K itaro nervously paced in his room while waiting for Vanra's return. Tatsuki's request to see Vanra alone unsettled Kitaro. It took an effort not to go to his father's room to find out what was taking so long. He wanted to believe everything was fine, but it was troubling when Tatsuki was known for being unpredictable.

When Vanra returned, Kitaro's relief immediately vanished at the sight of blood on the human's neck. Kitaro was at Vanra's side in an instant. "My father did this to you?" He could still smell the fear clinging to Vanra, making his dragon thrash in his cage. It was why it took a moment for the smell of Mitsuki to register. "Wait, Mitsuki did this to you?"

"Yeah, after I met with your father."

Kitaro's dragon came to the surface, ready to confront their brother and punish him for daring to harm Vanra. The smell of Mitsuki licking Vanra's neck clouded their mind with a jealous rage. "We will make him suffer for this!"

Vanra took hold of his hand to stop him from storming off. "Please don't. It'll only make things worse."

Kitaro's dragon caressed Vanra's neck, still marred with blood. "No, we must punish him for daring to violate you. He will not be forgiven for harming you!"

"Please stay with me," Vanra pleaded. "I feel safer with you by my side."

Kitaro's dragon was torn between needing to confront Mitsuki and honoring Vanra's wishes. But their need to please Vanra and take care of his needs was more important. "You will tell us what happened."

Vanra interlaced their fingers together and gave his hand a squeeze. "As long as you promise to stay with me."

"As you wish." Kitaro's dragon led them to the bathroom. As much as they wanted to lick Vanra clean and rid him of Mitsuki's scent, Kitaro would not allow it. They had to settle for merely washing off the blood instead.

The dragon gestured for Vanra to sit on the sink counter. Vanra scowled when his shirt disappeared through magic. "You could have asked me to take it off, you know."

Kitaro's dragon said nothing as they produced a washcloth with magic, then wiped away the blood Mitsuki had spilled. They could hear Vanra's heart race, which was gratifying.

But they still weren't satisfied once the human was clean. Kitaro's dragon ran his thumb along the small marks that remained. "We will never forgive him for hurting you. He will pay for this previous offense."

Vanra placed his hand over his injuries to heal himself. When he lowered his hand, no trace of Mitsuki's attack remained. "No, you won't. Believe me. You confronting him will only make things worse for me."

Kitaro's dragon stroked Vanra's now unmarred neck. They burned with incandescent rage that Mitsuki's claws had harmed Vanra on their watch. "We are your protector. We cannot allow such an attack to go unpunished. On our honor, we demand revenge."

Vanra took Kitaro's face in his hands, meeting his silver gaze. "I'm asking you not to. Please ," he gently pleaded.

While Kitaro's dragon reveled in the small point of contact, they struggled with obeying. "You are asking us to go against our every instinct."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Vanra apologetically told him. "It's unfair of me to ask, but I've known people like your brother. If you go after him, I'll be forced to deal with the consequences of his outrage. He'll absolutely take it out on me."

"But we will protect you." Kitaro's dragon hated how Vanra seemed to doubt their ability to do so. It made them burn with a need to prove to him they could defend him.

Vanra caressed Kitaro's cheek with his thumb. "I know you will, but I would prefer not to be put in a position where that becomes necessary."

"But he hurt you," Kitaro's dragon argued in a pained voice. "You doubt our ability to protect you. It makes us feel like we have failed you."

"You haven't failed me. I have no doubts about your ability to defend me. I know you can smell that I'm not lying about that." Vanra was right. There was no trace of a lie in his scent. "Besides, your brother is talking to your father now. He will surely smell me on Mitsuki. Let your father handle it this time."

Kitaro's dragon made a frustrated noise before sighing in defeat. "As you wish. We will rely on Father to punish Mitsuki for his heinous transgressions against you. But only because you have begged us for mercy, and we can deny you nothing."

Vanra shifted closer to the counter edge, spreading his legs wider. He reached out and embraced Kitaro. "Thank you."

Kitaro's dragon tightly returned the hug. He nuzzled against Vanra's now healed neck. "You are ours to protect."

"I am." His easy agreement helped soothe some of their fears.

"We should have been there tonight. We never should have allowed this to happen. It is our great shame to have failed you."

Vanra hugged them closer, shushing any further protests. "I don't think that at all. Look, I'm safe in your arms right now. I still trust you to always be there for me."

"We cannot bear the thought of anything harming you," Kitaro's dragon confessed as they clung tighter to him.

"I'm okay now." Vanra soothingly rubbed Kitaro's back, still holding him. "You're with me right now, and that's all I need."

They remained locked in an embrace, but when Kitaro finally pulled back to look at Vanra, he had returned to himself. His blue eyes still looked deeply troubled.

Vanra tucked a strand of Kitaro's hair behind his ear. "Everything is okay. Nothing bad is going to happen to me with you here. I trust you and your dragon completely."

He reached out to stroke Vanra's cheek. It pleased him when the human leaned into his touch, nuzzling against his hand. "I will not fail again."

"You didn't fail me at all."

Kitaro rested his forehead against Vanra's. "There is nothing else in this world I want to do more than keep you safe and happy."

Vanra drew back and gave Kitaro a shy smile that filled him with complicated needs. "When you're by my side, I'm both of those things. I hope you know that."

"Yes, and please know I am equally happy when I am with you." Kitaro helped Vanra get off the counter. "What did my father discuss with you?"

"I was convinced he would punish me for what happened at dinner, but he shocked me by complimenting the strategy I suggested."

It was a relief to hear. "I am glad he sees the wisdom in your tactic. It surprises me he had not come to that conclusion himself."

They returned to the bedroom and got into bed. "We also talked about my training, Kisano, things like that."

"Kisano?" Kitaro repeated in shock as he used magic to remove their clothes. "What could Father possibly have to say about him?"

Vanra's expression turned sheepish. "Actually, it was more me telling him he was foolish for ignoring how amazing Kisano is." He facepalmed with a groan. "I really need to learn when to keep my damn mouth shut. I don't know what's wrong with me today."

Kitaro arched an eyebrow in surprise. "What was Father's reaction to that?"

"Oddly enough, he said we should talk more in the future. He told me I made for a good conversation partner."

Kitaro found conversations with Vanra stimulating, but it surprised him that his once vehemently anti- human father felt the same. "I concur that discussions with you are always enjoyable. Still, it is unusual for him. He is not a man prone to idle chatter, let alone with humans."

Vanra grinned. "It's funny. Once I was done being terrified, I enjoyed myself."

"That is good to hear. But you should rest now. It has been a long day." Kitaro turned the lights off. "Sleep well, Vanra."

"You too," he said through a yawn.

Kitaro wanted to wrap himself protectively around Vanra and hold him all night to ensure that he was well protected. His dragon was still deeply unsettled that harm had befallen Vanra on their watch. Vanra wouldn't allow him to punish Mitsuki, but he was honor-bound to warn his brother not to harm his ward again. And if it came to blows, that was on Mitsuki.

W hile Kitaro's dragon had promised they wouldn't punish Mitsuki for his actions the previous night, they still sought their eldest brother out while he was practicing in the training hall alone early the next morning .

Mitsuki didn't stop his practice. "Welcome, little brother."

Kitaro angrily growled Mitsuki's name, still seething in rage over what had happened the night before.

The older shifter was completely nonplussed. He mockingly taunted, "And what has you up before noon for once?"

"You know exactly why I am here," Kitaro snapped. "How dare you treat Vanra so disrespectfully and injure him!"

Mitsuki swung a sword at a floating wooden rabbit dummy. "I was merely reminding that disgusting worm of his place. How is it my fault he overreacted?"

"He should have purified you for what you did," Kitaro snarled.

Mitsuki scoffed. "As if a mere human could ever purify me."

"I will not tolerate your interference with him any further."

"Yes, Father also demanded that I should keep my distance from the brat." Mitsuki scowled as he angrily chopped a dummy in half before another one reappeared in its place.

"Perhaps you will listen to us for once."

Mitsuki's laugh was harsh. "Where is the fun in that?"

"Mitsuki, I mean it. Stay away from Vanra."

"Or what? Will you tattle to daddy dearest?" The older shifter stopped his practice. "If you wish for me to keep my distance, you will have to fight me for it."

"I am not in the mood for one of your games," Kitaro growled. His older brother had a fondness for high-stake gambles Kitaro did not share.

He walked over to the wall to pick up two Divine weapons. "These will do nicely."

"I do not wish to fight you, brother," Kitaro protested, although his dragon was more than willing to take advantage of the offer.

"Some protector you are," Mitsuki snidely commented. He tossed the Divine sword in front of his youngest brother's feet. "And here I thought you would be willing to fight for your pathetic human. You disappoint me, little brother."

Unable to stand the slight, Kitaro picked up the Divine sword. He held it up in a defensive stance. "Do not question what I would do for Vanra."

"I cannot see what he has done to enrapture you. Perhaps I can beat it out of you." That was the only warning Kitaro received before Mitsuki launched a flurry of attacks.

Kitaro said nothing as he countered every hit. When he had an opening, he went on the offensive to drive Mitsuki back.

"You are acting so shamefully that one would think you were a snake shifter!"

Mitsuki's insult made Kitaro's dragon burn with rage. The younger shifter brought his sword down hard, resulting in a struggle of strength. When neither of them made progress, Kitaro jumped back to regroup. "You are in no position to talk about shameful behavior after last night, brother." Kitaro launched his own attack, cutting low. It forced Mitsuki to step back several paces.

"I could almost understand if you were fucking him." Mitsuki launched himself at Kitaro in another burst of rapid attacks that resulted in them once again locking swords.

Kitaro was done playing nice. He kicked out hard, connecting with his older brother's stomach. It sent him sailing back with a grunt. Not wasting the advantage, Kitaro used a spinning attack to disarm his brother.

Mitsuki dropped low to avoid it. He parried, cutting Kitaro's forearm with a swipe up of his sword. Kitaro hissed at the searing pain but continued aggressively going after his brother. He was determined to be the victor in the fight.

When Mitsuki came at his youngest brother with a high hit downward, Kitaro got under his defenses to disarm him. Mitsuki's sword clattered to the ground. Kitaro held his sword tip at his oldest brother's neck and declared, "It is my victory, brother."

"Only because I did not care enough to fight seriously," Mitsuki said with a disinterested shrug. "I would hardly call it a victory when I drew first blood, and you will have to live with that scar forever. "

Kitaro pressed the tip of the Divine sword dangerously close to Mitsuki's jugular. "Swear to me you will stay away from Vanra."

"As if I hold any interest in that worthless human," Mitsuki sneered.

"Give me your word that you will keep your distance from him," Kitaro demanded. He ignored his dragon's cries to take their vengeance.

"I have already grown bored with him," Mitsuki airily claimed. "I have more entertaining things to do with my time than subject myself to his offensive presence."

Kitaro held the sword a moment longer at Mitsuki's throat before lowering his blade. "I am holding you to that."

"Do as you will." Mitsuki took back the Divine weapon to return to the wall. "It matters not to me."

Kitaro's dragon still felt deeply unsettled and wished to continue the fight, but Kitaro withdrew. He had earned his victory over his brother, but he also didn't trust that Mitsuki would honor his vow to stay away from Vanra. The thought of his older brother harming Vanra enraged his dragon past the point of reason.

When Kitaro returned to their room, Vanra was still sound asleep. His peaceful expression helped calm the shifter prince's agitation.

As he drew closer to the bed, Vanra stirred with a sleepy noise. It sounded like an attempt at saying Kitaro's name.

Kitaro walked over to him, brushing the dark hair from his beautiful face.

The touch made Vanra wake up. He looked up at Kitaro with a shy smile. "Morning."

"My apologies for waking you. Please continue to sleep if you wish."

Vanra's violet eyes fluttered shut, but they flew wide as he caught sight of the blood staining Kitaro's pale shirt. He bolted upright with panic. "Why are you bleeding?"

Kitaro looked down at his arm, surprised to see how much had seeped into his shirt sleeve from Mitsuki's attack. Due to the adrenaline rush from the fight, the severity of the gash had escaped his attention.

He pushed up his stained sleeve, revealing a deep slice in his skin that would never heal despite his shifter healing powers. "It appears I was not as fast as I thought." Kitaro scowled over the fact that his brother had landed such a hit. His pride was more injured than his arm.

"What happened?" Vanra reached out to bring Kitaro's bloody arm closer to better inspect the damage. "Why isn't it healing?"

Not wanting to admit what had occurred, Kitaro remained vague. "My brother decided it was time to play a game. "

"A game ?" Vanra repeated in disbelief. "With what, a Divine weapon?"

Kitaro shrugged. "He enjoys high stakes."

Vanra's expression darkened. "Did you try to punish Mitsuki for last night? You promised me you wouldn't!"

"I did not break that promise. I only went to warn him to stay away from you."

Vanra huffed in frustration. "I didn't want you to confront him about it at all! Let alone get hurt in a fight with him!"

"It was an unfortunate consequence of his challenge." Kitaro shrugged. "I won the bout, though. The matter should be resolved now."

"You may have won, but there's no way Mitsuki will leave things as they are." The scent of Vanra's distress pained Kitaro more than his wounded arm. "Why would you do something as stupid as fight with Divine weapons?"

"They were the terms of Mitsuki's challenge to me. On my honor, I could not back down. Not when I knew there was a chance I could keep you safe from him."

Vanra tugged on Kitaro's hand. "Please sit."

Kitaro complied and dutifully sat on the edge of the bed near Vanra. "I did not mean to upset you."

"Well, you did." He sighed as he inspected the wound closer. "I really wish you hadn't confronted him. "

"Violence is the only language Mitsuki understands. I had no choice, Vanra."

"What would you do if I couldn't heal this?" Vanra demanded.

The answer was an easy one. "Proudly wear the scar that was evidence I protected you and defeated my brother. It would be my honor."

Vanra started to respond before he stopped himself. "Look, I understand shifters function under a different moral code than humans, but please don't get hurt for my sake again. It's too upsetting."

"Forgive me. That was never my intention."

"Well, if there's one good thing about this, it's the fact that Mitsuki will lose it when he sees you're not scarred." Vanra placed his hand over Kitaro's wound, then linked their auras together.

Kitaro had never felt so intimately connected to anyone before. He could feel all Vanra's emotions as if they were his own. The distress was at the forefront, but the shifter could also feel that some part of Vanra was proud of him for winning. He also sensed the overwhelming fondness that Vanra held for him, which made his heart soar. Could Vanra feel that, too?

Kitaro watched in fascination as his wound slowly began to close and mend itself together. When it finished, it only left blood behind as evidence that there was ever an injury.

When Vanra withdrew his aura, it felt like being plunged into an icy darkness as all the warm sunshine faded from his world. He wanted to beg Vanra to reconnect with him because he wasn't ready to let go of that beautiful feeling. But he had no right to ask for such a thing.

Vanra ran his fingers over the now-healed area. "I know you want to protect me, but there has to be a better way than doing that."

Kitaro reached out to cup Vanra's cheek in his hand. He held his gaze as he said, "I would do anything for the sake of your happiness, Vanra."

"Except for not fighting your brother?" Vanra asked with a wry grin. Despite his words, Kitaro could hear the human's heart racing at his touch.

"Please know I did not seek to fight him," Kitaro reiterated. "He was the one who challenged me to a fight. I could not refuse."

Vanra looked down with a frown. "I'm not worth fighting over."

His words cut deep. It was another painful reminder of how awful Vanra's companion had treated him to make him believe he was worthless. He stroked Vanra's cheek with his thumb. "Respectfully, I disagree. I would give my life for your safety."

"No!" Vanra looked panicked at the thought. "I could never live with myself if you did that. Why would you even say that?"

"Because I have fallen for you." Kitaro withdrew his hand, ready for rejection. But it was a relief to say out loud what he had been thinking about for some time now.

Vanra's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?"

"I have, perhaps unwisely, developed feelings for you," Kitaro said. There was no point in hiding the truth. "It is why I would do anything for you."

Vanra stammered a few times before he could form a sentence. "But I'm human!"

Kitaro chuckled. "That does not affect my feelings."

"But you're a high-ranking shifter prince," Vanra protested. "You aren't allowed to like commoners like me, let alone a human commoner."

"I do as I please." Kitaro softened his voice as he said, "I am not asking for a reciprocation of feelings. I am merely stating a fact. Please do not trouble yourself over it."

"No, it's not that." Vanra bit his lower lip as he struggled. "I just don't understand how someone as amazing as you could ever feel anything for me."

"It pains me you continue to have such a low opinion of yourself." Kitaro hated how Vanra's companion was responsible for his poor self-esteem. "I see you as you are, not as you perceive yourself to be. And to me, you are everything wonderful in this world."

Vanra stared at him in disbelief. "Are you saying you like me? As in, more than a friend?"

"That is indeed what I am saying," Kitaro confirmed, although he had not intended to confess his feelings. "I am aware you are going to return to your time, but it seems my heart does not care about such details."

The scent of Vanra's embarrassment filled the air. "And it's not only because your dragon responds to my heat?"

"My dragon is drawn to you because I am," Kitaro explained. "My feelings are my own and have only been getting stronger the longer I am around you. Your heat only amplifies what is already present."

"But that's impossible!"

"I can assure you it is not." Kitaro chuckled at the human's disbelief. "It is very much real."

Vanra looked down at his hands. "But what happens when I have to go back to my time?"

It was something Kitaro had been contemplating a lot in recent days. "Even if a few centuries separate our times, it is not that long for a shifter. I would happily wait an eternity for you if it meant I could be with you again."

"No, that would be awful!" Tears gathered in Vanra's eyes. "I could never do that to you."

Kitaro tried not to get his hopes up. "You say that as if it matters to you."

"Of course it matters! How could it not?"

"I know you are an empathetic person, but?—"

Vanra interrupted Kitaro with a groan as he hid his face in his hands. He whispered in an agonized tone, "What am I supposed to do?"

Kitaro didn't understand the source of Vanra's distress. "You are free to continue as you are. This changes nothing."

The human looked up at him with tumultuous eyes. "No, it changes everything!"

The shifter shook his head. "I do not understand why."

"How can I pretend I don't like you like that when I know you like me?" Vanra questioned in a small voice.

Kitaro tried not to get too excited, but his hopes lifted. "Are you saying that you have feelings for me in the same manner?"

Vanra's eyebrows furrowed with frustration. "But it's not allowed."

"Why not?" Kitaro's heart sank. "Are you concerned about your relationship with your companion?"

"No, because I told him in my letter that he was free of me. I could never return to him after knowing you, even if I wanted to. Besides, it's not like he's patiently waiting for me. He's with his former lover."

Kitaro still didn't understand. "Then what else is holding you back?"

"Because then I'll never want to leave," Vanra admitted as he looked up at Kitaro in despair. "Your father expects me to return to my time, and I want to be with my brother, but if I'm with you…"

Kitaro's spirits lifted. "Do you have romantic feelings for me?"

"How could I not?" Vanra threw his hands up. " Of course , I like you like that! You're the most amazing, sweetest, kindest, most gorgeous person I've ever met in my life. Powers aren't as perfect as you."

"I do not know if I would go that far." Kitaro chuckled. "I am quite certain that my sister would argue otherwise."

Vanra smiled faintly before falling silent for a few moments as he tried to gather the strength to say what was on his mind. "If I let myself have feelings for you, then I'll fall in love with you for real. I could never leave you."

Kitaro reached out once more to caress Vanra's cheek. "What is so wrong about that?"

"But your father, my brother…"

"We can worry about them later. My only concern right now is you."

Before Vanra could respond, Kitaro leaned down and kissed him. It was devastatingly perfect as Vanra melted into it. Vanra surrendering to Kitaro's gentle passion was the best kind of heaven. It was even better than in his best fantasies.

When they parted, they shared a long look.

"That was amazing," Vanra whispered, his cheeks flushed from the rush of feeling .

"Agreed." Kitaro's lips quirked up into a small smile. "I hope to be allowed to repeat it sometime, should you have no objections."

"How could I ever say no to that?" Vanra asked with a laugh. "I'd have to be the world's biggest fool."

"Then it is a very good thing for me that you are quite intelligent," Kitaro teased before stealing another kiss.

Vanra wrapped his arms around Kitaro's neck as he kissed back. Kitaro got lost in his feelings for the human. Everything he had been trying for so long to ignore suddenly didn't seem to matter now that Vanra's lips were on his.

Kitaro slowly leaned Vanra back to lie down once more, positioning himself over him. He was about to continue when Vanra's stomach growled with hunger.

The interruption made him laugh. "Perhaps we should get breakfast first." He helped the human sit up once more. "We can resume this once we finish."

Vanra's shy smile was a beautiful thing. "I'd really like that."

To Kitaro's surprise, Vanra stole a kiss when they stood up before hurrying to go to the dining hall.