Page 20 of The Tainted and the Tamed
“Daisuke?”
The man behind the fox mask laughed richly. “Hello, old man. It’s been too long. I thought I would tag along.”
Haruki laughed in disbelief. As Chairman Hayashi Daisuke descended from the coach, Haruki grasped his forearm. “I’m shockingly pleased to see you.”
“Not as pleased as I am.”
The driver, by now, had gone to the other side of the carriage. A man in an almost completely white Noh mask rounded the rear wheel, his hands clasped behind his back. “I’m feeling a bit neglected, Haru.”
Again, Haruki laughed. When was the last time he had done so? “I’m so glad you’re here. Both of you. It’s the most pleasant surprise I’ve had in ages.” He took Junpei’s hand. “Thank you for this.”
“If you’d stir yourself from Fusae a little more often, you would see more of us both,” Chairman Noguchi Junpei said, the corners of his eyes creasing behind his flat mask. “We’ve both missed you in Miyoto.”
Haruki waved him off. “There’s little for me to do in the capital now. You all have things well in hand.”
Daisuke cleared his throat. “Let’s save the government talk for later, shall we? After we’ve eaten and unpacked.”
“The unpacking my staff can handle for you, if your servants would like to rest.” Haruki motioned for Tanabe, who was dressed in a different kimono since he had seen her in his quarters. She wore black with golden pines and cranes at the hem—the symbols of longevity.
They were also the symbols of their kind.
“Have you formally met? This is the famous Ms. Tanabe,” Haruki told Daisuke.
“The source of so much teeth-gnashing in the Diet,” Daisuke said, “and so much pride from your venerable father, if you don’t mind my saying so. You don’t know how pleased I am to see you well.”
Daisuke bowed slightly, causing Tanabe to flush.
“Your father was a great man,” Daisuke said quietly, his voice suddenly rough. He lowered it to a whisper. “And you, my dear, are every bit the marvel I’ve heard of. That you’ve aged gracefully is an understate—”
“Daisuke,” Junpei said sharply, “we’ll speak of this later.”
Abruptly, Daisuke turned away from Tanabe, looking for all the world as if he had been admiring the now darkened gardens all along.
Chapter 10
Haruki
“The two of you—you’re a couple?” Haruki asked, his eyes widened in disbelief. He had known Daisuke, the far younger vampire, preferred only men, while Junpei had had both male companions and a wife over the centuries.
But the two of them,together?
If they didn’t light the government on fire with their union, they might destroy each other over their disparate beliefs. Opposite parties did not often mix well in marital beds—they certainly hadn’t during the revolution. Was Haruki’s thinking too old-fashioned?
“When did this happen?”
“Many years ago,” Junpei said.
“Almost twenty of them,” Daisuke added.
And they hadn’t ended each other’s immortal reign yet?
Haruki played with his teacup, instantly wishing for sake instead. For all his years of living, he never could have predicted this. Hayashi Daisuke, who served the shogun as a trusted general to the last. Noguchi Junpei, the dedicated rebel and elder vampire who would do anything for change.
The dawn of this modern era had not altered the fact that they were dire opposites.
“We know how the Diet can be about alliances,” Junpei said evenly. He was always the soft voice of reason amongst the chairmen—and one of the most persuasive, too. His had always been a quiet but white-hot fervor during the revolution, preferring action to loud proclamations.
“We understand the risks,” Daisuke added. “Two chairmen in a bed is likely too many for most of our fellow members of government. So we kept things secret. Until now.”
