Chapter 24
Chapter twenty-four
Feminine Magic
Nyomi
After Kenji left, I showered, dried off, and chose what I would wear today carefully. The blushing pink dress was made of this breezy island linen that rippled when I moved and didn't apologize for my curves underneath. It was also sleeveless and had a heart-shaped neckline.
It was the kind of dress Hiroko would have nodded at.
Sexy.
Confident.
Comfortable.
When I looked in the mirror, I imagined what she would say, “That's a woman who knows her own power.”
Minutes later, I waited for the elevator.
My armed men surrounded me.
My eyes drifted to the elevator doors and my whole body went tight.
Last night.
Right on that elevator.
Kenji had pinned me to this wall after the party. The Dragon had been all over me. His mouth had been at my throat, his hand around the front of it, his thigh between mine, my dress shoved up to my hips and my heels hooked at the small of his back. He had fucked me hard.
One hand at my neck, squeezing in that careful brutal way only he knew how to do, the other gripping the meat of my thigh. He bounced me on his big pierced cock until I came with my own pulse drumming against his palm.
Fuck. We have to do that again.
I licked my lips.
The heat of him rose along my skin.
I pressed my thighs together inside the linen of the dress.
But we’ll have other things to do tonight.
This evening, the Dragon would lay me down on lotus blossoms inside a hole in the earth. Under a full moon, with soil under my back and his blood mixing with mine, he would push inside me again and the old magic of his mother's bloodline would witness it.
I let out a slow breath.
Kenji had framed the Burial Ritual as a sacrifice, but the more I thought of it. . .I saw the moment as my claiming him. Our blood united. His body inside mine. All focused on old magic that women in his bloodline had used long before either of us was born.
It all screamed feminine magic to me.
I thought about all the times we’d had sex and toyed with power dynamics.
Each time Kenji and I had broken each other open, a specific element had been in the space with us.
Water Play had occurred when I'd had him in the huge bathtub, bound and at my mercy, and I'd played with his breath—slow dunks under the water, holding him there until his hands flexed against the binds and then pulling him up to gasp.
I'd watched the Dragon learn what it felt like to belong to me for the length of one held breath at a time.
Then Fire Play. That one he had asked for. I'd placed careful flames along his skin and watched him lose his mind from the burn. The man who frightened entire syndicates had laid himself down on a slab and let me write heat across his chest like I was signing my name on a deed.
Even last night, in the elevator, we'd played with air.
His hand at the front of my throat. My pulse drumming against his palm.
The way he had timed every thrust to the rhythm of the breaths he was rationing me.
The Dragon controlled the air in the room when he wanted to, and last night he'd controlled the air in my lungs.
Three different moments involving three elements.
Tonight. . .we’ll basically be exploring the fourth element. . .Earth Play. . .Is that even a real kink?
I made a note to ask Hiroko’s assistants today.
Hmmm.
The elevator arrived.
One man entered, scanned the space, and then gestured for us to enter.
I stepped onto the elevator.
The rest of my men followed.
The doors slid shut, and the elevator began its quiet descent.
I slid my hand into the pocket of the dress, pulled out Reo's card, and read it for the fourth time today.
Tora.
I offered my soul for macaroni and cheese, and you delivered at the party. Therefore, I cut out my soul this morning and sent it to you.
I hope you feel it.
But just in case, I have delivered this gift to you as well.
I smiled at the card and could hear him saying it.
I read the next part.
The pin in this box is shaped in the kanji for soul.
魂
The crystal used to form it is called Charoite.
It is a rare purple gem found along the Chara River in Siberia.
The Russians call it the Soul Stone. It is given when one soul recognizes another going through a deep transformation.
It carries the wearer through change, releases fear, and aligns the body with what the spirit already knows.
I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face no matter how much I tried.
Reo, you are spoiling me too.
My hand drifted up to the neckline of my dress where I’d placed the pin. I looked down at it.
It was the deepest violet with veins of lilac and lavender moving through it.
I looked at the rest of the card.
Additionally, your HEART powers have been upgraded.
You may now add men to your detail at your own discretion as well as assign duties to your men around the island and the mansion without checking in with Kenji or me.
You have your own authority within this house, and it is no longer borrowed from ours.
Also, it has been brought to my attention that yesterday, you walked around the island getting things done on your own.
This will never occur again.
You have your own cart now with a driver. Anytime you wish to move, simply tell your men, "Prepare the cart."
It will be ready.
When we return to Tokyo, the same will apply with a vehicle. Tell your men, "Prepare the car." The car will take you wherever you wish to go.
If you need anything else, you have only to ask.
Your Roar.
I placed the card back in my pocket and a silly chuckle left me.
Alright, Reo. Thank you for your soul. I’ll take good care of it.
The elevator slowed.
The doors slid open onto the main floor of the mansion.
I stepped out, and the world rearranged itself around me.
The first staff member I passed was a young woman carrying a tray of folded linens. Her eyes flicked to my chest, found the pin, and immediately bowed without breaking stride. "Tora."
"Good afternoon."
She gave me a nervous smile and kept moving.
The next was a man in a black uniform polishing the brass of a side table. His gaze hit the pin. His shoulders dipped. His hands paused in their work just long enough to mark the moment. "Tora."
"Hello."
He blinked a few times and returned to his polishing.
By the time I reached the side entrance where my cart waited, three more staff had done the exact same dance. Eyes to the pin. Shoulders down. Voices low. Tora.
Do they know that Reo gave this to me? What’s going on with the pin? I’ll ask Kenji about it later. For now, I should check on my slave.
The afternoon sun pressed warm against my shoulders as I stepped outside, spotted the cart, and laughed.
Reo. . .
There was no mistaking that this cart was mine. Where the staff carts on this island were simple white, this one had been painted orange and had bold black tiger stripes along its sides in long sweeping curves. The cushions inside were black with gold hearts stitched into the headrest.
Now, when in the hell did you get this done?
The driver sat at the front in a black uniform with a tiger-striped heart pinned on his lapel.
Wow. You get an A+ for all the details, Reo.
As I approached, the driver turned in his seat and gave me a respectful nod. "Tora."
"Hello. I would like to go to the villa toward the East where a woman named Hiroko lives. It’s—"
“The Roar already let me know of its location.” The driver started the engine.
Of course Reo did. Mr. Anticipate Everyone’s move.
I laughed and climbed in.
My men followed.
That was when I noticed the kids.
Three of them stood on the side—two little girls and a boy. None of them were taller than my hips. They stood at the edge of the path with their eyes on the cart.
I could tell that they were desperately trying not to giggle at the silliness of it all.
The tallest girl had her eyes wide. The boy was bouncing on his heels. The smallest one had both hands pressed flat over her face with her fingers spread so she could still see through them.
I lifted an eyebrow at them. “Do you like my tiger-cart?”
That broke the smallest one. She giggled into her palms.
The other two cracked immediately.
I lifted my hand, curled my fingers into a claw, and let out a small playful roar. "Rawr."
The kids lost it. All three of them dropped to the gravel in a heap of giggling little bodies.
The driver pulled the cart forward, and I waved goodbye to them.
One of my guards snickered.
I smiled. “Those kids are adorable.”
He nodded. “The short one is my daughter, Mei.”
“Aww. Mei. That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful little girl.”
He beamed in pride. “She knows I’m here during the day and likes to see if she can spot me with her cousins.”
My heart warmed.
“She also. . .is a bit fascinated with you.”
“Oh really?”
He nodded. “She’s drawn pictures of you and me at your side with a gun, protecting you.”
“Oh, I love it. I would love to see the drawings and thank her personally. . .of course. . .if that’s okay with you.”
He widened his eyes. “That would make her entire year and have my wife talking about it with her friends for the next ten years.”
“Oh, then we’re doing that today.”
He chuckled.
“And your name?”
The glow on his face left and his chuckling died down.
The other guards watched him.
He cleared his throat. “We are not to give our names to you.”
“No? Why not?”
“At the Dragon’s request.”
I sucked my teeth. “Well. . .we’ll see about that.”
He blinked.
“If you all are to protect me, the least I can know is your names.” I leaned back on my gold and black heart cushion.
The cart continued along.
Wind moved through the trees on either side of the path. Workers bowed as we passed. My guards bowed back without slowing. I was learning what it felt like to be carried through this island the way Kenji was carried—untouched, observed, treated like a force of nature people made room for.
Then I saw the second cart, rolling toward us on the opposite track. It was a simple white one with four people aboard.
Oh shit. Is that Kiko?
She was in the middle. Two men in white medical coats flanked her. The man next to the driver held his gun out openly with the barrel resting against his thigh.
He kept his gaze on Kiko as if making sure she didn’t try anything funny.
Damn. They’re already taking her to the DNA test?
My back straightened.
Kenji and Reo move fast.
As the cart approached, I noticed that Kiko was crying so hard that her shoulders jerked a few times.
Her mouth moved fast in Japanese. The words spat out of her like she was trying to set the air on fire. I couldn't catch a single word, but I didn't need to. The volume told me everything. The pitch told me more.
She was furious.
She was scared.
She was being driven somewhere she had not agreed to go.
Then, the carts came parallel.
For a few suspended seconds, Kiko's eyes locked with mine.
Her face shifted. Murderous rage rose in that gaze. The Japanese stopped. Her mouth opened around English instead, sharp and loud enough to carry across the gap between us. "This is your fault!"
Be cool.
I held her gaze and refused to let any emotion hit my face.
"You’ll see!" Her voice cracked as she pointed at me. "And now you will regret this! Once the Dragon understands what I carry, he'll ship you back to America!"
Her cart kept moving.
So did mine.
I glanced back.
Kiko craned her head over her shoulder to keep her eyes on me until the trees finally swallowed her from view.
I let out a slow breath.
Once the Dragon understands what I carry, he’ll ship you back to America.
The ugly line repeated itself in my head. She'd said it like her belly was a loaded gun and the babies were the bullets to bring my death.
Girl, bye. Had I not been raised by my grandmother. . .you would have been dead already.
I exhaled and kept my gaze forward.
The cart rolled on.
I had almost gotten my heart rate back down when I saw the next thing.
Now what the fuck is this?
Up ahead, at the bend in the path, a knot of bodies moved across the gravel in a tight cluster. Five men. They had a sixth man between them, and they were dragging him against his will. His feet were sliding. His arms were locked behind his back as he screamed in Japanese and cried.
There’s never a boring day on this island.
I leaned forward to get a better view.
Oh shit. That’s Tet. Right? Kiko’s cousin.
I sat up.
The five men hauled him sideways down a narrow side path that branched away from the villas. He struggled against them and looked exhausted. His shirt was twisted at the collar and blood dripped from one side of his mouth.
He didn't see me.
I watched until the trees swallowed them too.
Then I turned to my guard. "What are they doing to him?"
"I do not know."
"Can you ask Reo to let me know? I’m. . .intrigued."
The guard nodded once and pulled out his phone. His thumbs moved fast. He held the screen low in his lap and waited.
I faced forward.
What the hell are they going to do to Tet?
The path curved.
Hiroko's villa came into view at the top of the slope, all clean lines and expensive restraint.
The cart slowed.
The guard's phone beeped.
He read it, then turned slightly in his seat so I could see his face. "Reo says not to worry. Tet will be having a conversation with Hiro about Kiko's party crashing last night."
I went still.
A conversation with Hiro.
My stomach twisted.
Hmmm.
I’d been around them all long enough to know exactly what that meant.
Hiro wouldn't be doing much talking. There would be questions, sure, but not the kind that came with answers anyone walked away from.
Tet had grabbed Reo once before, and I bet the Claws had been keeping that bill on the counter ever since.
Now that Hiro heard about them trying to crash the Claws’ party. . .
Tet won't make it through the day.
The thought sat heavy in my chest. I tried to find guilt for it and couldn’t gather any.
Kiko and Tet had pushed the party issue, knowing what sort of world they existed in.
Tet made his own bed, and. . .now that bill came due. . .
I swallowed and nodded at my guard. "Tell Reo. . .thank you for his. . .soul and my cart, and also I appreciate the information."
"Yes, Tora." The guard typed it in.
The cart stopped at the villa steps.
My guard got out first and offered me his hand.
I took it and stepped down.
Now I have to deal with this slave situation. Who will be his new master?