A Fox Guard

Unknown's POV:

"He's going to be very valuable," I heard my captor purr. I growled from my cage and watched the shadows on the wall, cast by the people in the doorway to the dark room I was kept in. I don't know how long I've been in here... torn away from my home, my shrine. I wasn't sure what they wanted with me. All I know is that one night I was admiring the cherry blossoms under the beautiful moon in the garden and then I heard a gun go off... then my beautiful world became blurry, and I woke up in this cage in my most vulnerable form. I couldn't change back to my more powerful form, no matter how much I tried. My magic was useless, and I felt empty and cold. They had shackled my paws to the bottom of the cage to keep me from moving around too much. I watched as a man in a silver colored tux walked in front of my cage and smirked, his green eyes looking me over.

"Oh yes, no doubt about it. He's definitely one of Inari's kitsunes. The masses will be crawling to get after him," he said and laughed, grabbing my cage by the front and yanking it forward more. I yelped as my body fell forward, and I hit the front of the cage, my muzzle slamming into the bars. I cried out in pain and started to tremble, looking up at the muscled man in fear. What does he want with me? Who's after me? What is going on?! He laughed as he watched me trembling, his eyes taking on a darker light. "When was the last he was fed?"

"Uhmm... we haven't... fed him in about two days," my captor said and walked in, his blond hair framing his face angelically. "Why?"

"Hmm... give him some tofu right before the auction. It'll brighten those eyes of his and make him more desirable. Until then, leave him in here. Don't let anyone else in here either. Don't even give out where you're keeping him. I know quite a few of my friends that would steal him from you," the man said then looked back at me with a smirk. "You're going to wish you died in this cage," he told me then slammed my cage back to where it had been before. I yelped as I was thrown back, and I curled up, tugging at my chains uselessly. What is wrong with these people? Why won't they help me?! I looked towards them pitifully and let out a small cry as they began to walk away, talking about some auction. The man glanced back at me as he left and laughed before he shook his head and left, enclosing me in the dark with the shut of the door.

I trembled in the darkness, alone, so alone. It was horrible. I felt starved. I felt lost. I wanted to go home... back to my garden. I wanted to be back in my shrine... with Inari. I whimpered and curled up, laying my ears back as I curled my starlight like white tail around my tiny body. I haven't ever been this far away from home before. Why would they rip me away from my master? Why would they take me from my home? Why won't they tell me what they want with me? Please, Inari, get me out of here.... I felt my throat lumping up as I laid there, cold chains digging into my ankles and wrists and neck, chaining to the floor of this awful, godforsaken cage. Every movement, every struggle I made, made it harder for me to move- to breathe as the chains bit in deeper into me. I felt so useless, so awful, so... powerless. I felt drained, hopeless. I couldn't go home, and I knew it. I wasn't even sure where I was.... It smelled like despair and hell. I could hear the cries of other poor wretched souls in other rooms, and I could feel their pain, so similar to mine that it made me only feel worse. I couldn't help them either. All they wanted was to be free. Did they even know what freedom was? Had they been in here so long that freedom was only a concept to never be obtained? Was it just me that longed for my home, the love of my master and his loving embrace? Was it just me that missed my siblings that would run and play in the garden and would help cook together and joke with one another? No... it couldn't just be me. I could hear it in their cries. They had all been ripped from their homes, their families, their loved ones.

I shook as I listened to them and felt my ears twitching from it as I curled up into myself tighter, my dirty fur making me sneeze. I smelled awful.... My fur was turning brown from all the dirt and neglect. I couldn't even properly try to clean myself in the simplest way I could. I missed the hot springs... but it was nothing compared to the fear I was feeling. I had no clue who had me chained up, and what they wanted with me.... I squirmed and then yelped when the cold chains imbedded themselves into my skin more, drawing slight blood with the sharp metal. When would this hell be over? Where is my master? Will he come for me?

Silas's POV:

I looked over the papers on my desk, the crackling from the fire in my place making me more relaxed as I signed off on papers and rewrote letters to other council members. My projects were doing great... but there was something pressing at the back of my mind... something that I was overlooking. I could feel it. Something was wrong and it was right at the edge. I knew it was there, but what was it? I tapped my foot as I read over another boring letter and sat it aside. I frowned as I stared at the door then widened my eyes. It doesn't seem right... that there have been werewolves going missing in other castles.... It doesn't seem right that everything is so quiet besides these small disappearances within the werewolves.... Surely, there is something going on... and I should know what it is. It felt so familiar. I stared at my papers then and found my eyes traveling to my computer where pictures of my family filtered through the backgrounds of it. I froze up as I found Lyle's eyes staring back at me from my computer then got to my feet abruptly. No... no... no... no.... Business has gone up for the blood bar... but not enough for every vampire that we've documented to be going there as frequently as a vampire needs to feed. There is another party... something stirring, something secretive, and it has to do with those disappearances. I stared at Lyle's picture as I narrowed my eyes, remembering what he told me. He had been cradle robbed by the Resistance. Is it possible... that the Resistance has come back like a phoenix from the ashes? I growled suddenly as it all seemed so obvious. The Resistance would've never died completely out. They're there... growing back in like a bad disease when you didn't take all the prescribed pills the doctor ordered for you... like a mold to our society. I slammed my hands down on my desk as rage filled me. It must be. It has to be what is wrong. No one else seems to think much about it... but the only reason for those werewolves to go missing is if there is an auction going on and some filthy people are going to enslave them. We're not out of the Resistance Era.... Fuck.

I froze up as a letter caught my eye off to the side and I frowned, reaching for it as it's envelope beckoned to me. I picked it up and opened it up, pulling it out to read it.

Dear Silas Rosario,

I don't want to beat around the bush, so I'll be frank. I heard some inkling of Resistance talk when I was on my way to the last council meeting- something about a black market has sprung up to help fuel the rebuilding of the Resistance. I didn't bring it up at the last meeting because of KV, so please don't believe that I had anything to hide. Take care.

From a friend,

Nicolas Nova

I clenched my jaw and sat it down then walked over to a window, looking out it. So... it's true.... My suspicions... and just how convenient it is that he happened to send me this letter just after I started to wonder what is going on. I glanced back at my desk then rubbed my arm. Shit. Looks like I'll be finding out where it is- Laurence. I smirked and then went over to my phone and grabbed it, dialing his number.

"Yeah dearest maker?" Laurence asked once he answered his phone.

"Could you help me with something?" I purred sweetly into the phone and leaned against my desk. "I need to find something, and I think you can help me out. I'll take you with me too.... We won't tell Charles."

"I can help you actually. We're talking about the disappearances of the wolves right? You want to know where the resistance base is..."

"Yes, I'm going to bust open the auction," I told him and sat down on the desk. "We're going to go together and take it down then have the werewolves returned to their packs and whatnot. Any other creature we will try to help return and whatnot."

"I'll wait in your car for you," he purred and hung up. I sat my phone down then quickly walked out, going towards the weapons room where I retrieved some guns, ammo, knives, and some grenades. I walked out to the garage and went to my car, putting everything in the trunk then got in the driver's seat. I smiled towards Laurence, seeing him waiting in the passenger seat for me.

"Thank you Laurence for helping me out with this," I purred and started up the car. "You're helping save innocents~"

"Yeah, I know I am. It's a pleasure to accompany you on something you think is right."

"Awww, you don't have to be so formal with me," I purred then rubbed his cheek. "I'd rather you have a good time with me and cut loose a bit." I smirked and then started to drive us. "You'll have to direct me while I'm driving."

"Oh I know. You don't know what I know...." He grabbed my GPS and started to punch in something. "Follow this," he told me and sat it back down. I nodded and began to follow it, humming softly as I drove.

When we arrived, I parked in the darkness by the woods of the establishment, seeing some higher end looking people walking inside with dark cloaks covering their bodies and faces to keep them safe from each other. I frowned a little then looked towards the back where I had kept some from my days. I grabbed them then slipped one on Laurence then on myself before I got out and went to the trunk, arming myself as I hid them under my cloak. I looked towards Laurence then held out a gun to him, giving him some extra ammo. He frowned and dodged taking the gun from me as he scooped up a knife and placed it in his pocket.

"I won't need a gun," he told me. I nodded and stuck Laurence's gun back into the trunk then shut it.

"Okay... let's get going," I purred to him.

Laurence's POV:

Silas flipped our hoods over our heads and started to lead me inside, staying silent and looked picture perfect as he took us in. He's done this before... walking into an auction. I could tell. He never bought anyone though. He took us to where the majority of the people were going, seeing they were gathered in a room with a stage dimly lit, the people almost invisible in the darkness. He frowned and then led me closer to the stage as a man walked out on it, dressed in blood red robes that covered his entire body and hid his face. "Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you here today," the man purred and then flipped the hood back, revealing a man with blond hair that framed his face perfectly, curling around it. He smirked. "It's not everyday that we have a selection like we do now. I hope you all find this to your liking, and once you've won a bid, please step up the stage and go that way where you will pay and fill out the paper work so we can file it. Now, please enjoy~" He smirked and stepped back, gesturing for a man in the back of the stage behind the curtains to bring out the first one. Silas watched closely and then glanced at everyone before he slowly slipped the gun out from his pocket. His eyes flickered towards everyone before he quickly shot the two on the stage down and then leapt to the stage, snarling as he flipped his hood back.

"You are all under violation of the Council! Surrender or be shot!" He shouted, his voice suddenly demanding, not the fun and sweeter Silas I had seen earlier. He looked fierce, angry. I don't blame him for being angry too. Silas had his reasons for distaste in these matters. Though I don't see the harm in getting a few pets through a noble and just auction.... I pulled out my knife, ready to take anyone that were to run to the exit. A few had started to run, but the most were staring at Silas in terror as he shot them down quickly. He eyed them and then lowered his gun as he started to calm down. "All of you, listen. You're going to be arrested and brought before the council for this. Don't resist," he warned and then pulled out his phone, starting to call someone. "Yes... yeah, send them over to arrest these people." He gave the address to the council member he called then sat down on the stage, watching them like a hawk as his finger itched over the trigger. They were all to afraid of him to run though, staring at him like prey.

~~~

After a few hours, the doors burst open and some people ran in and started to arrest them, handcuffing them and shoving them out of the doors as they put up a small struggle, crying out for each other. Silas got to his feet then gestured for me to come along. "We're going to go release the werewolves," he told me softly, putting his gun away. "They'll return to their families and packs quickly I think. They'll find their ways home. We'll also find other creatures incase it wasn't just a pure werewolf auction." I nodded and followed him into the back and started to open some of the cages I came across. It was mostly all werewolves, and they gave me grateful looks and darted out of the cages, running for it as they shifted and let out howls. After wandering around for a few minutes, I heard small yips coming from a room, sounding desperate and pitiful and hurt. I looked towards the room cautiously before entering it and looked around. The room was pitch black and cold as I entered and I heard the barks quieting down as something in a cage rustled then yelped in pain. Silas walked in quickly, looking towards the cage sitting on a cart where a small little bundle of dirty white fur- almost brown from all the dirt- was curled up. I could see blood staining it's fur as golden eyes looked up at me in slight fear and hope. It was chained to the bottom of the cage, the chains tightening on it and cutting into it's skin every time it moved. I walked up to the cage quickly and broke it open, using my knife to help break the creature free from it's bonds. It was quickly on it's feet but as soon as it took a step, it fell down and started to lay it's ears back as it's body shook. It was too weak to stand on it's own, starved looking, and it looked like the chains had messed up it's ankles and wrists above it's little tiny bloody paws. I frowned and used my knife to cut into my wrist and forced it's jaws open. I forced my blood inside its mouth. The little white fox whined but drank obediently, laying it's ears back as it's body began to heal. He pulled back and licked his lips then slowly got back to his feet shakily before he looked at me and then leapt up into my arms, curling around my neck as it got closer to me. I rubbed it's dirty fur, looking towards Silas.

"I've got a new friend," I told him and purred. He looked at me and smiled.

"It seems that way," he purred back, watching as the fox curled up and started to fall asleep on me, relieved. "Hmm... we'll take him back with us. I'm not sure if we can find out where it came from so easily. It might not have a human form," he told me and then walked up, inspecting it. "He was probably the main reason there was so many here.... We'll clean him up... and if we can't find out where he belongs, I'll let you keep him," he told me and smiled.

"Really?" I asked and purred. "That's great." He laughed and nodded.

"You'll be responsible for him too," he purred to me then looked the fox over, inspecting it. "Let's hurry up and get everyone else free so we can take it home and clean it up." The fox moved closer against me then let out a soft sigh, his paws scratching at my arms and chest as he adjusted himself on me.

"Okay," I agreed and went out to help the rest while holding the cute fox. It didn't take me long to get the whole place cleared with Silas. It turns out that everything was werewolves, except for this little fox in my arms. He was sweet too... his cute little features twitching every once in awhile as he slept soundly, looking exhausted. He had already licked me a few times in his sleep, bundling his little tail closer to him.

"Where'd you come from?" I asked softly and carried him towards the car to get us back home as quick as possible. I wanted to spoil the little guy with a bath. He opened his eyes as he heard my voice then brought his tail closer to him, curling up in my arms and then pawed at my face. He looked around then laid his ears back as he saw our surroundings and looked confused. "Don't worry, I'm going to take you to my place and let you eat all you can eat and have a nice bath and rest. When you're better we can discuss where you're from so we can get you home." He looked at me quickly then and gave me a sweet look before he tensed up. He growled suddenly and started to squirm in my arms when the temperature dropped a little by me. I frowned and looked around quickly, holding him to my chest tightly. I was met with familiar looking reddish pink eyes, glaring me down. The demon stood nearby, looking pissed.

"Put. That. Rat. Down," he snarled at me.

"No way, he's not a rat." I hissed back at him and exposed my fangs. "You don't own me and guess what! I do what I choose, not what you tell me." He tensed up and then narrowed his eyes. I could hear a slight screaming in the background before it began to surround me, a hellish nightmare unfolding as the shadows began to crawl and the damned seemed to be crying out from the very earth. The fox growled louder in my hands and leapt out of them, glowing a bright white before a male stood where he landed, a white fox tail flicking side to side as his white ears twitched, laying back. The demon glared him down, his focus shifting from me to him.

"You brat! You better back down. I'll kill you in seconds," he snarled towards the male standing in front of me. "I don't care if you are Inari's!"

"Who is Inari?" I asked and looked the male over in front of me, worried for his safety. He was so fragile a minute ago.... The demon glared him down and went to take a step forward but a growl ripped from the male's lips in front of me and he twitched his ears as his expression went vicious.

"Brat," the demon hissed again, looking angry but slightly frightened by the male. The male started for him then, growling.

"I'm not going to let scum like you walk on this plane of existence," he snarled at the demon and started to chase him away, glowing a bright white as the demon ran for it. I widened my eyes and watched him with interest. I think I just found someone I want to keep around for years... He chased the demon off into the woods and stayed at the edge of it, growling as he watched the woods for a few minutes. He untensed after a few minutes then looked himself over before he glanced my way and gave me a nervous smile. I smiled at him and took off my cloak, holding it out to him.

"Here," I purred. "Use this to cover up." He walked up then shyly took it, putting it on and then looked at me.

"I'm sorry that I stayed in my fox form for so long.... It felt so safe in your arms," he told me and then gave me an innocent smile. "It's my weaker form though... and I have been stuck in it for so long till you freed me."

"It's fine. So it sounds like you belong somewhere else," I whispered. His smile widened.

"Yes, I'm one of Inari's kitsunes," he told me happily. "I was stolen from him though."

"Well you're free now, you can go home to him. Keep that as a gift," I suggested. He looked towards the cloak then nodded before he looked at me and shifted nervously.

"W-well... you see.... I don't know how to get home," he told me. "I've never been outside the shrine's gardens...." He blushed as he admitted it then rubbed the back of his neck. "I have no clue where I even am."

"Well.... that'll be tough for me to get you home if you don't know...." I whispered. "It's cloudy for me too like I don't take you back." He whined and looked a little sad to hear it.

"So... I'm not going home?" He asked me, frowning. "I won't be reunited with my master?"

"Not until I figure out how to get you back," I told him. He whimpered but nodded.

"Okay," he whispered then walked closer to me. "I'll stay with you until then. I owe you a lot for my rescue, so I'll stay by your side until it's time for me to go home."

"Well let's get into the car before my demon comes back," I told him. He growled then.

"That demon is trouble. He's Calix, Insanity's Demon. He makes crappy deals," he warned me then looked towards the woods. "He's scum...." He looked back at me then smiled happily before he glowed and the cloak fell to the ground. He poked his little white fox head out from under it then shimmed out from under it before he ran up to me and sat at my feet. "I think I'll stay like this though for now... so I can be closer to you. I'll tolerate this form for now... and I don't want your maker to freak out." I scooped him up as well as the cloak and got into the car.

"My maker wouldn't mind anyways," I promised. "He's had quite a shock though tonight...." I trailed off. "So Calix is my demon? He's pissed he won't get my soul is all."

"Yes, he can't break the contract with you," he told me and looked up at me from my lap then started to lick his paw before he gagged and quit, looking disgusted.

"Don't worry. We'll wash your fur when we get to my maker's castle..." I whispered. He gave me a pleased look then nodded before he crawled up me and got onto my shoulder, nuzzling his furry little head against me.

"Mkay... I feel really safe with you," he mumbled absentmindedly like he was surprised a little. "You remind me of Inari...." He made a happy noise then nipped at my ear playfully. I laughed and pulled my head away from his jaws.

"You'll be safe with me," I promised. "For as long as you stay with me." He yipped excitedly then got closer to me, snuggling up to me.

"I will?" He asked happily. "I'll be safe with you? No one will steal me away again?"

"You'll be safe forever." I kissed the top of his head. He gave me a sweet look and then pawed at my face again, growling playfully.

"I think Inari would be okay with me staying with you until we find out how I get home," he said and flicked his ears. "He'd be happy that you're taking care of me, not someone else. He'd approve."

"You think so? Makes me feel better then." I purred to him. "I'll just keep you," I teased. He yelped and stopped playing with my face, watching me before he started to shrink back a little on my shoulder. "Or I won't," I sighed out. "I'll find a way to bring you back to Inari." He watched me then laid his ears back a little before he snuck up to me again, smelling me.

"W-well... I-I should really stay though.... You've got that demon after you. You need me to protect you from it... and I need to repay my debt to you... and it's unlikely I'll get home. Inari will look for me though... so I'll stay till then," he promised me and then perked his ears up as he watched me with a sweet look. "It'll be fun! I've never been outside the garden before~"

"Well we could wait for him to find you," I suggested. "Meanwhile you can help me with my demon problem." He nodded and then started to paw at my hair, giving a playful growl before he started to bite at it. I gasped and leaned away from his jaws again.

"Hey, watch it!" I hissed. "That's my hair. I like it green." He laughed and then smelled me before he started to lick my cheek, moving closer to me. I pulled him closer to my chest and hugged him tightly. He stopped and smelled me again before his entire body relaxed and he looked up at me with a happy look in his eyes. He licked my cheek one last time before he pawed a little at my chest then snuggled up to it, laying his head over my heart. I purred with delight, wondering where my maker was at. He was taking forever....

~~~

After a few minutes, he walked out, running his fingers through his hair. He walked up to the car and paused as he watched the little fox nestling against my chest. He laughed and then leaned in, looking at him. "He's actually real cute," he whispered then rubbed his head. "I wouldn't mind keeping him around if we can't find out where he belongs. He'd make a great pet for you. He'd teach you some responsibility before you can become a maker which will be good for you."

"Yeah," I nodded in agreement. "I'd love to keep him but I think he really wants to return to someone called Inari." He frowned then.

"The rice god in Japan?" He asked me, looking skeptical.

"You know him?" I asked.

"I know the legends. He's a rice god in Japan, usually shown with white foxes called kitsunes," he informed me calmly. "There are other kitsunes, but they're more mischievous than his foxes."

"Well I think he belongs there then, in a garden...." I frowned. Looks like I'll lose him quicker than I imagined. He frowned then.

"I don't think that the legends are real though." The fox perked it's ears up and looked at Silas.

"No, they're real," he spoke up, making Silas jump. He hit the top of the car with his head then groaned, backing out.

"Fuck," he groaned and held his head in pain. The fox laughed at him then nuzzled his head into my chest and playfully nipped at me.

"He's funny," he whispered to me then looked up at me sweetly before he licked my cheek and yipped happily. His eyes looked a lot brighter than they had back in that horrid place, seeming to be doing better with me. He started to crawl up my chest again and up to my neck then slipped his body in the collar of my shirt, poking his head out as he snuggled up against me. I could feel his paws were a little cold from the outside air. "Sorry... it's just a little cold," he mumbled to me then pressed his nose up against my chest as he laid his ears against his head. "I hope you don't mind."

"Next time go in from the bottom," I pleaded and rubbed his head. "You're very silly and dirty.... I'm going to have to take a shower after I bathe your fur clean.. Oh well... I suppose it wasn't avoidable." I looked towards my maker. Is he going to drive us home yet? He watched too as Silas rubbed his head then glanced at us. He frowned and then sighed.

"I know what that look is," he mumbled then pulled out his keys and got into the driver's seat. "Yes, I'll take you two home. I expect you to take good care of the fox too, Laurence. We don't know if Inari will come looking for him or if you are going to be able to keep him for a very long time." The fox watched Silas putting the key in the ignition curiously then growled as the car started. He slipped further into my shirt so that only his head and ears were out of it and curled his body up into a ball against my chest. I could feel his fur rubbing against my skin as he breathed softly, his body rumbling with his growls. Silas glanced at him and smirked. "Oh hush, you'll be fine. Do you have a name?"

"Ritoru," the fox said quietly, his growls subsiding. "You may call me Toru though if you'd like." He relaxed slowly as Silas nodded.

"Alright... We'll have to introduce you to everyone tomorrow night," he whispered and then started to drive us away from the place. Ritoru looked out the window in wonder and slowly edged his body up my chest more to free his neck up from my shirt. He perked his ears up, tickling my chin as he flicked them slightly.

"Don't worry. We're safe inside the vehicle," I told him and gave a playful purr. "I'm going to take very good care of you Toru, you'll be pampered and you'll almost be as rich in admiration as Toma is.... Probably more because you're so sweet." He looked towards me and then licked my cheek quickly before he laughed and then placed his paws against my chest and started to lick my chin then once on my neck before he smelled me.

"I'll do my best to make you happy then," he whispered happily to me. "I'll protect you from that evil demon."

"I'll have a maid set a room up near mine," I suggested to him. He nodded and then licked my cheek again.

"Okay," he said and then sighed contentedly before he sniffed my ear. He gave a playful growl then nipped at it, his sharp little teeth scraping against my earlobe. I gasped and stuffed his head down my shirt quickly and covered up the top of my shirt so he couldn't slip his head back out. He yelped and I felt him shifting against my chest, whining loudly before he nipped at my chest to get my attention. His tail brushed against my stomach as he brought it closer to his body and whimpered. I laughed and refused to let him back out. He whined again and then nipped at my chest before he pawed at my belly, trying to push his head back out. He whimpered and nipped at my chest again, this time licking it then sucking gently on it, trying to win his way back out of my shirt. I gasped and quickly started to yank him out from the end of my shirt.

"TORU!" I screamed and laughed. "Stop!" He wagged his tail and gave me an innocent look before he licked my hand then managed to get out of my grip and was back against my chest, snuggling against it. I growled a little and exposed my fangs. "Don't you dare," I warned him. He looked up at me and curled up against my chest.

"Do what?" He asked innocently, looking towards my fangs then up at me. "I'm not doing anything."

"You know what you were doing," I grumbled to him and looked away. He laid his ears back as he watched me then slipped away from my chest, moving down to my lap then looked at the floor before he jumped down to it and curled up at my feet. He yawned cutely then licked his paw as he stayed down there. Now he chooses to keep his distance? I looked away and frowned slightly. I should find his master quickly and let him go home happy. He laid his head down against his paws then stared at the side of the car before he flicked his ears and closed his eyes, taking a nap.

Silas glanced over at me after a few minutes and frowned, noticing my uneasiness. "Are you okay?" He asked softly.

"Just thinking about how I'll get him home," I told him. He nodded and looked back towards the road.

"So... you're going to return him then? I thought you'd like to keep him. He seemed happy enough, but if you think he should go home... then I'll put him on a plane to Japan and have someone go with him," Silas whispered to me. "I was planning on letting him stay, but if you don't want him to, then it won't be too much trouble for me to get him back to his home. I'm sure there are some people in Japan that know about his shrine and could help one of the servants help find Toru's way back. It might be in his best interest... since how we know nothing about him... and he belongs to a god's shrine. After all, fate works in mysterious ways. They'll rip you out of your home one moment then have you put right back in it, just smarter and more wary for the future."

"I don't want him to go there with a servant! If he's going to Japan to look for his god then I want to go and help him." I looked at Silas with a serious expression. Silas frowned slightly at me.

"I can't just send you to Japan," he told me firmly. "It wouldn't be right. I'd need to watch you, but I need to be here... so I'll send him with Esther since how you can't send him with a servant."

"No, I want to go with him. Silas, I'm mature." He shook his head.

"You're only a few days old! You're not going! I'll send him with Esther and that's the end of it," he told me firmly, giving me a serious look that told me not to question him. I frowned as my very being told me not to argue back since he gave me that look. I glared him down instead. He stared me down then pulled the car over. I kept my eyes on him, fuming with rage to object to his 'end of it' speech. "What?" He asked, his voice dripping with danger.

"You know," I told him softly.

"Know what?" He challenged me.

"You know it's not the end," I challenged.

"I'm your maker and I say it's in your best interest to NOT go to Japan," he told me firmly, staring me down.

"Then come with me and leave Lyle in charge," I begged. His expression softened a little as he watched me, but I could tell he was still not backing down just yet.

"Why?" He asked, keeping his voice strong.

"Wouldn't it be a fun vacation and you'd see a friend home?" I asked.

"He's not my friend. He's some fox we rescued. There's a difference," he told me sternly.

"He's not just a fox. He scared away my demon and he can transform into a humanish form. Oh and he like us. We have to go instead of Esther. Plus we can eat some sushi over there and go to one of those anime theatres." I begged him and grabbed his hand. "Please Silas? I won't ask for anything else." He tensed up and looked towards my hand then at me before he sighed and looked out the window, thinking hard.

"Is there really a demon?" He asked softly. "You keep saying demon, but you haven't really explained to me."

"Oh that's right, you don't know do you?" I asked him. "A demon of insanity came to me while I was at my lowest in the asylum and promised me freedom if I gave him his soul... So I made the deal as a human and he killed everyone there.... slaughtered them and gave me my path out of that place. I started to run from him in fear and well that's how I ended up in the road..." I trailed off as I remembered everything, the pain of the impact and how angry the demon was at me. "He was pissed off when you turned me into a vampire. Now he can't have my soul unless I die in this form.... He showed up before we got in the car and that little guy in the floor chased him off for me." He nodded and then ran his fingers through his hair.

"Damn..." he whispered then glanced at me. "You really do have a demon after you, huh? Well..." He looked down at Toru at my feet then groaned, rubbing his neck. "Shit. I owe it to him, don't I? Fine. We'll go to Japan, but we're only staying until he gets returned. As soon as he's back in his shrine, we're on the plane back home," he told me firmly.

"Okay," I agreed and gave him a huge smile. He smiled softly at me then pulled out his phone.

"I'll buy us some plane tickets for us to-"

"Lyle has a private jet, why don't you ask him if you can borrow it?" I asked. "Kingsley gave it to him as a gift." He frowned.

"How'd you know that? Oh..." He trailed off then sighed, starting to call Lyle. "Hey Lyle, I need to go to Japan. Play substitute king for me," he said, laughing.

"Japan? You're going on a vacation without me?" Lyle asked. "Now that's just unfair. You better take Charles and Laurence with you! I'm not watching them cut each other's throats for your attention on the phone when you call to check up on them. Oh and Silas, you want to use my private jet? That'll cost you. How about I take a shirt from your room that I really like?" Silas frowned.

"First, it's not really a vacation. I'll explain why it's not when I get home. Two, I was planning on taking the two of them. Three, I didn't even ask to use your jet yet! You can't have one of my shirts! You'll take my favorite anime shirt!" He whined.

"What? You mean I can't have the Black Butler one? Man! I was going to frame that reward on my wall over my bed..... You can still use my jet anyways. One of the butlers is certified in flying it as well."

"Oh... okay, I'll use it then. Ask the maids to start packing my fledgling's bags for me, will you? Get Pierre ready too. I don't want Charles to get hormonal without him," Silas purred with a smirk. "Meet me in my study when I get home. I'll show you why we're going to Japan."

"Oh boy, is it some anime con?" Lyle teased Silas. "I'll get it set up for you and meet you in the study."

"Thanks Lyle," Silas purred then hung up, starting to drive us home quickly. "That settles it. We'll go to Japan~" He told me with a smile. "Hopefully it won't take too long to find Toru's shrine."

"We should let the vampire king of Japan know we're visiting. He might even help us find the shrine," I suggested. He nodded.

"Good idea," he whispered, watching the road. "I guess it's a good thing we're doing this now, not later when you've gotten attached to him. The goodbye would be harder for you."

"I know," I whispered. "Probably for him too. I don't want to anger a god either. We need to try our hardest to get him back to the shrine so we don't look bad in a god's eyes." He nodded.

"Yeah... just know that even if you're not going to see him again and you manage to get really attached to him before we find his shrine... it's not the end of the world. He'll be happy in his shrine, and I can get you a pet of some sort to keep you company and help heal the pain," he whispered. I nodded and looked my little companion over before scooping him off the floor and placing him back in my lap.

"I'll just have to visit him in the future if I get attached," I decided. "I'm sure the god won't mind." He shook his head.

"I doubt he will mind," Silas purred then smiled. "We'll have fun over in Japan too."