Page 105 of Julian

“Please don’t talk that way, Makoto. You will stay inside and recover. Let me be your sword. I shall slay the demon in your name,” his sister assured him.

“No Sayuri. This must be. We shall all slay the demon, the cambions, the evil. No one person has the right to decide. I go. The wolves go. This is justice.” Makoto stared out the window, not responding further while Sayuri quietly bowed her head, defeated.

“What do we need to conjure it?” Cassia asked, breaking the uneasy silence that had filled the room.

“My sister shall do the spell. She will use my blood to call the demon.” Kenji took a deep inhale and released it. “It will require all of our collective energy to bind it.”

“I’m down.” Rafe smiled. “I’m lookin’ for some payback myself.”

“Once it’s risen to the surface, we shall force it to call the humans who fed the monster. It will resist. It will do everything it can to kill us first,” Kenji advised.

“We all must be prepared to die.” Makoto averted his gaze, not making eye contact. “It always brings death.”

“Hold on there…” Rafe held up a hand. “Don’t go throwin’ around the D word just yet, buddy. You’re not the only one who’s been through hell this past week. Literally. There’s no way I’m giving up now. I’m definitely not planning on dying.”

“Makoto. Stop. Do not speak this way.” Sayuri’s hands trembled as she spoke. The cup rattled as she set it down on the end table.

“Sister. He’s unable to hear you right now,” Kenji explained. “The damage within us … he must fight it on his own.”

“O yurushi kudasai.” Sayuri bowed her head. Her face tightened in sadness, fighting tears that streamed from her eyes. “I am so blessed to have you both back. I cannot lose you again.”

“Our brother is struggling, but knows he must have revenge. You cannot take this from him. He deserves to have justice. Whatever form that takes.”

“Hai,” Sayuri whispered.

“I understand both perspectives,” Julian offered. “We must strategize, but remain realistic. We’ve fought cambions. There is a possibility Kellan is working with this same demon.”

“Or the humans,” Rafe said.

“Or the humans,” Julian agreed. “We must be prepared. The cambions may resurface … either in or out of the circle of protection. All these things will come for us. Likely all at once.”

“My sword will kill the cambions,” Sayuri assured them. “I have fought them in battle and been successful.”

“Okay, I like that spirit,” Julian held up a finger, “but … but we all must fight together. Watch each other’s backs. None of us want to end up back in Hell.”

Kenji locked eyes with the Alpha. “I’m in your service. Now and forever. I swear an oath to protect you and your mate. I have no intention of ever going to Hell again.”

“I appreciate your candor and service. But you are not indebted to me or my pack and anytime you wish to leave, you are welcome to do so,” Julian told him.

“It shall be.” Kenji bowed.

“It is time for the sake.” Sayuri, composed, rose and clapped her hands.

Servants filtered into the room seemingly out of nowhere. One by one they poured the warm sake.

“You will drink this to prepare. The sake has been infused with the blessing of the Goddess, created from sacred rice. Omiki. While it is usually reserved for the holiday, given the circumstances, we shall drink tonight. We ask the Goddess for her blessing. We will all be reborn. To new lives. New loves.”

“New allies. New wolves.” Julian raised his cup.

Cassia smiled at the Alpha and looked to Sayuri. “New friends.”

“Kento o onorimasu.” Sayuri held her drink to the air.

“Kento o onorimasu,” Kenji repeated.

Julian nodded and brought the cup to his lips.

As the sweet sacred wine coated her tongue, Cassia vacillated between optimism and realism. Her heart broke for Makoto who she suspected had already accepted his fate.

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