My eyes took a moment to adjust to the light. It was much brighter out here under the moonlight.

I looked around at my new surroundings. A pit formed in my stomach as I saw that the temple’s large wooden gate, which I had blown up earlier, had somehow both reformed and closed itself.. I knew instinctively that some kind of magical barrier had been erected. There would likely be no escape. Sure enough as I looked up at the sky I noticed a purple membrane enclosing the whole of the temple grounds like a translucent dome.

Shit.

I tried to move my hand and found the whole arm was now pretty much useless. Whatever poison or curse the blade had infected me with it was potent and had set in in earnest. I risked a look at it and then quickly looked away, it was awful. Green and black. It was not just the wound but the whole of my upper arm now.

Shit. Shit. Shit!

With only my left hand and no way to escape, how was I supposed to face the monster inside? I heard a whimper and whipped my head around, looking for the source of the sound. I found a a prone form on the cobblestones just a few meters away. I ran over. It was Kira, her hair disheveled, a bruise across her cheek. I turned her head and she moaned weakly. She appeared to have been knocked out. I called out to her and her bright yellow eyes opened.

“Master… you came to save me,” she smiled. I nodded.

“Yes, you're safe now.” It was a lie. I was lying through my teeth.

No one was safe right now. Me, her, Hana… none of us.

Her smile disappeared and turned to a look of fear.

“Um… master… look. Behind you.”

I slowly turned around. Hissing and shaking its head as if it were in great discomfort, the large creature was ripping its way out of the shine I saw smoke rising from its skin. The moonlight! It’s burning it, even through the protective dome! It stumbled towards us on great legs, its fists balled and ready to smash. I knew I had to distract it or Kira was in danger.

“Stay here, I will draw it away.”

I got to my feet. Without my right hand, It was surprisingly hard to do. Thankfully the beast seemed slowed by the light. I focused my energy on the balls of my feet. If I can't use my arms, let’s try another tactic. I pushed up and twin jets of wind erupted from them, rocketing me upwards into the sky. I felt my heart beating fast, blood pumping. I knew I was just about at my limit

Just a little more… give me a little goddamn more.

I formed an open palm with my left hand and imagined my forearm to be a blade, I shaped the air around it tight and strong. The creature looked up at me, waving its large fists. It appeared angry that it couldn't reach me. I adjusted my feet, focused my energy once more and pushed outwards again. Twin jets of air shot out of my feet and I rocketed behind it. I coughed, blood dribbling from my lips.

Too much. I’m using too much energy.

I felt cold now but it wasn't the touch of shadow on my arm. My whole body was shutting down as it rejected the abuse I was subjecting it to.

Fuck, fuck!

I focused on the blade I was shaping. I screamed, gritting my teeth, my veins standing on end. Slowly the shadow fiend turned, its blue eyes blinking its hands outstretched, seeking to grasp me… to tear me down.

“DIE!”

I swung my arm and the windblade screeched towards the creature, aiming straight for those cursed eyes.

The creature saw the blade of wind headed for its face and raised its hands to block the attack. The windblade struck it with a wet sound, twin lacerations appearing across its dark forearms Dark black blood poured down its large arms, dripping off of its elbow onto the cobblestones. It was wounded but it was not down.

I felt myself begin to sink.

The wind powering my hovering was failing. Each inch I sunk brought me closer towards its clawing hands, the windpower propelling me sputtering, then stopping. As I fell I pushed my palm forward, a pitiful gust of wind shot out striking the creature in the face. It blinked and shook its head, unphased but at least distracted for a moment. One of its large hands gripped my leg and the creature held me upside down. I felt the world shift and turn. All the blood rushed to my head.

It took all of my effort just to remain conscious. I had done it. I had tried everything I could. And I had failed. I was going to die. I couldn’t protect myself, let alone my two companions. I looked over at Kira. Wait, Kira? Where was she? The space where she had been lying was now empty.

Good.. perhaps she escaped. At least one of us managed to.

I turned back to the shadow creature. Its maw had opened and rows and rows of yellow fangs glistened in the moonlight. Smoke was still rising from its skin. I noticed that patches of the dark black had become mottled and gray.

If only it had more time in the light… perhaps it would melt completely.

“You! Monster!” I heard a small, defiant voice call out.

No, goddamnit Kira, no! Please don’t do this! Save yourself!

“You want to fight my master? You have to fight m-me too!”

The creature turned, dragging me with it, Vertigo struck me as my body swung around like a ragdoll. There Kira stood, leopard print outfit and all. The creature roared, its free fist hurtling towards her. Kira’s eyes went wide, she clearly had not thought this through, she brought up her hands in front of her face and screamed.

Instead of succumbing to the creature's powerful blow several things happened in quick succession. A wall of flame shot up from the ground, capturing the creature's fist in the roaring torrent. It screamed and stepped backwards. The bright green flames began to envelop his whole arm.

He dropped me.

I had just enough energy left to cushion my fall with a burst of wind. I still hit the ground hard. My consciousness was ebbing in and out. I saw a pink leopard print woman.. A yellow leopard print woman… Was I seeing double? No, that was just their matching outfit. Behind them I saw jets of green flames. I saw the creature clawing at its own skin, as if trying to rip itself apart.

I saw it begin to fall.

And then… blackness.

***

I awoke in a panic.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Kira, Hana… run… run!” I yelled. I felt two strong sets of hands hold me down, I heard soothing voices, soft music.

“It’s okay.. It’s okay Ryo-chan!”

“M-master… we are safe! Please don’t worry!”

I looked at the two of them, Kira and Hana in their matching outfits. I took a deep breath. This brought pain to my whole body. I coughed and I felt a wet cloth on my brow and saw twin looks of concern. I tried to get up but leaned on my left arm and felt pain shoot up it. I took a look and saw the shadow wound was still there but the dark colorations had faded a lot. I flexed my fingers.

I can move them now. That’s good.

“You have Kira to thank for that," Hana said with a hint of pride in her voice as she watched me. I looked at the silver haired cat and she smiled shyly.

“I am your guardian spirit, after all. My pain is yours. Your… I mean… you must have learned that. That a spirit can help heal you. With touch.” Kira said slowly and deliberately.

That was a delicate way of putting it. Guardians and their spirits had a special connection, they shared pain, but could also heighten each other's abilities. Fenra and I had done this before we parted. Sometimes this was a simple touch, sometimes it was… a little more. Hana interjected, seeing worry on my face.

“She just pressed her hands and lips to your arm and forehead, nothing below the belt. Don’t worry peach-butt.” She gave me a wink.

I chuckled dryly, but the situation still felt awkward. Wait, peachbutt! She had called me peachbutt! I smiled. It felt like a forgiveness, her using my old nickname. She raised an eyebrow.

“Oh so now you like it when I call you that?”

“Come here, both of you.” I said, raising my one good arm.

We hugged, all three of us. Kira burrowed her silky white hair into the crook of my neck where Hana pressed a soft cheek against mine. When we were done and parted Kira wrinkled her nose.

“Master, you are stinky!”

I laughed, “You two are too. Is there a shower in this.. Wait… where are we?”

I looked around. Neon lights, mirrors… everywhere. “Is this.. A love motel?”

The girls burst into laughter. It was all the confirmation I needed.

“Don’t get any ideas, peachbutt. We are just crashing here. It was the only place open late that had a room and wouldn’t ask any questions. It’s as private as we can get.”

***

The girls asked if I needed help showering but I had politely refused.

I let the hot water pour over me, washing off blood and grime. I was surprised by how fast I was healing. I supposed that was Kira’s presence. We hadn’t even unpacked half of what happened, Both of the girls had displayed new powers. We had been attacked by shadow creatures. We would also need to call Miku and explain what we had seen. It was all so much.

I let the thoughts gather into a ball and then let them go, breathing in and out as I practiced nothingness. Calm. Soon my thoughts were gone altogether and I just enjoyed the heat and sensation of the water over my body.

When I was down I dried off with a thick white towel and wrapped it around my waist, leaving the shower and bathroom behind and entering the room.

Hana whistled as I made my appearance and I felt myself blushing.

“Someone has been working out, that’s not the boy I met a year ago from Tokyo!” She exclaimed, her eyes raking over my half naked form.

I shook my head, trying to deflect, but it was true. Where there previously had been a flat skinny stomach there was now a six pack of abs, and where I had skinny arms I had grown muscular and sinewy. It was all that training with Fenra. Kira said nothing, merely looking between us, her tail going back and forth. Observing the interaction with interest

I felt myself growing hot, embarrassed but also slightly… other things. Hana noticed and helped Kira to her feet, ready to take her foot off the gas and defuse the situation as always.

“Okay girl, let's get you showered too. Have you ever used a shower before?” Kira shook her head.

“I usually just bathe in the stream! Or lick myself clean!” She replied happily.

I chuckled, remembering Fenra’s dramatic first encounter with a shower. At least Hana was prepared this time. She too had been with me for that rather wet and explosive experience.

“Hana, when we are done we should talk… about all that happened. And call Miku”

“Yes, Ryo-chan. Yes. One thing at a time. I’ll take care of her, you should get some more rest.”

Indeed. Rest sounded amazing.

As I lay on the bed and the two girls headed off, to the shower, arm in arm, I felt my energy ebbing. I looked at the neon lights. I felt sleep take hold. I heard giggling. Then I drifted into sweet, sensual dreams.

***

Steam, there was too much damn steam. I tried to use my wind powers to clear iit away but no luck. It seemed they had left me. I would have to make do.

Two figures stood together in the tiled shower, bathed in neon glow. One had pink hair, the other silver. Of its own accord the steam began to lift

First I saw pale smooth legs, then bare midriffs then… I felt my heart catch in my chest.

Two heads turned. Blue and yellow eyes saw me. Noticed me watching.

“You are dreaming Ryo, wake up” They said in eerie unison.

Shit.

I closed my eyes, but when I opened then I was greeted with the very same scene. Apparently I was not ready to awaken. But the girls seemed to believe I had left them.

They turned, ignoring my presence once again, apparently satisfied I had left them. The steam continued to rise, dissipating, revealing their forms to me.

Hana, tall lithe, with her pink ponytails and pert teardrop breasts. Below her, shyly looking up, was the bustier curvier Kira with her milky skin and long silver hair and beaming eyes, cat ears and tail.

My eyes roamed upwards, Kira’s soft body pressed against Hana’s firm one. Hana’s arms held Kira to her by her back, leaving small indents in the pale skin. Kira was blushing but she did not look away, her eyes captured by the blue of Hana’s. I too had been captured by them before. The alluring and often wild woman had a way about her… allowing people to let loose.

She’d done it with Miku, with Fenra… now with Kira. I knew this wasn’t real… it was just my imagination, and yet every detail of it felt real. I didn’t want to wake up. My darkest parts of me wanted to see every last inch of them, and what they would eventually do to each other.

And then it happened, Hana reached lower, grasping the fox spirit by her plump rounded behind and eliciting a squeal of delight. The mist cleared and I saw them fully, naked. Kira leaned upwards and their lips met, their wet bodies writhing and moaning.

Hana grabbed Kira by the wrists and pinned them above her head, pressing her against the back of the shower. The water ran down her hair, wetting it to her scalp. I followed the water as it ran down her shoulders.and then trickled down her large pillowy breasts, each tipped by a now hardened nippled. I watched them heave up and down as the cat's ears twitched and her tail swished.

“Mistress…” she breathed.

Hana smiled.

“Do you like it when I tease you? When I bind you? Hold you?”

She blushed, biting her lip and nodded, her ears bobbing up and down with her head.

“Yes.”

“Good, now get on your knees.”

Kira obeyed, ignoring the shower water pouring over her. Hana spread her lithe legs, then next spread open her bald pussy lips, preparing her wet tight snatch for Kira to lick.

“Stick out your tongue!”

Kira did so and Hana gripped her by her silvery hair, grabbing fistfulls of it then bringing her foreward,. Kira licked and lapped her slit while Hana threw back her head and moaned, her hips grinding slowly at first then bucking faster and faster. I watched as Kira closed her eyes, intent on the job of pleasing her mistress, her tail whipping back and forth.

“Oh god… Kira… don’t stop. I’m going to cum!” Hana cried. She let go of Kira's head and ran her fingers up her supple well muscled stomach then grasping her breasts, kneading them, pushing her nipples as her hair whipped wildly and her eyes rolled back.

“Oh… ooh oooh!!!” She cried.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

No… god damnit. Not yet !

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

The dream began to fade.