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in his mouth. He gulped it, shuddering. It burned going down like the first time he had sake .
    The samurai pulled out of him, breathing hard, and coaxed Liu up.
    Kiyoshi watched as they kissed, as Kuro flicked his tongue over Liu’s lips. He smiled and touched Kiyoshi’s head. “My beautiful, passionate boys.”
    “ Chichi-ue ,” Liu said, breathless. He was crying. Kiyoshi stared at the tears rolling over his brother’s cheeks, streaking the blood from the slain samurai that had splattered on his face. “Father…we’ll do anything for you.”
    Kuro nodded, his eyes flashing. “Very good,” he affirmed. “My heirs should be loyal.”
    Liu reached down, holding the side of Kiyoshi’s head to his hip. “We are.” He ran his fingers through Kiyoshi’s hair, smoothing out the tousled strands. “Anything you want from us, you can have.”
    “ Ge-ge …” Kiyoshi grabbed at Liu’s hand, clenching it tightly in his own. The taste of Kuro’s essence still burned his tongue and throat; he could feel the raw power of the man. Already he wanted more—and the thought frightened him.
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    Blood Brothers
    Liu squeezed his brother’s hand in return, but his eyes—and heart it seemed—stayed focused on Kuro. “Anything,” he repeated and the samurai broke into a grin, his teeth red with Kiyoshi’s blood.
    “Come with me tonight.” Kuro licked his fangs. “ Hunt with me.”
    -31-

    Barbara Sheridan and Anne Cain

Chapter Four
    “Liu, I’m afraid.”
    “Ssshhh don’t be. It’s all right. It will be all right. He has to do this so he can be stronger so no more soldiers can hurt him.”
    “But—”
    Liu silenced Kiyoshi with a press of fingers against his lips, then took hold of his hand and pulled him deeper into the shadows of the storehouse on the outskirts of the village.
    Kuro leaned against the wooden structure, his arms folded across his chest. The loose ends of his black yukata swirled around his ankles, kicked up by the shifting winds blowing over the village since late that afternoon. Most of the people dwelling here had been lured out of their homes to enjoy the break in the heat, a few children allowed up past their bedtimes ran through the dark streets with paper lamps like this was cause for celebration or perhaps there was a festival in town.
    “Like fish in a pond.” Kuro smiled. “How do you choose?”
    Liu felt Kiyoshi’s hand grow cold in his. “These are our friends,” his younger brother whispered. “Are you sure?”
    “Stop it,” Liu snapped, more to silence the doubt edging into his heart than to quiet Kiyoshi. “Be strong, dai-dai .”
    “Are you strong?” Kuro turned his gaze to Liu.
    “Of course.” And he felt it too, the power and strength coursing through his body—the gifts Kuro had given him.
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    Blood Brothers
    “Show me.” Kuro pushed off the building and dashed down the shadow-filled village street. Liu ran after him, dragging Kiyoshi along behind. He almost lost track of the samurai who moved as one with darkness, but Kuro suddenly stopped in front of a house even more battered and worn than Liu and Kiyoshi’s own.
    “Inside.” Kuro lingered in the doorway, his hand brushing the surface of the door. “Bring him to me.”
    Liu knew Kuro meant the old man who lived in the house, and he also knew what was expected of him. He heard the samurai—his new father—in his head, repeating the solitary word “kill” . So did Kiyoshi.
    “Don’t!” Kiyoshi begged softly. Liu let go of his hand, ignoring Kiyoshi’s plea. Panting from the run and anticipation, Liu stepped into the house.
    Kiyoshi wrung his thin hands together and refused to look at Kuro who kept talking inside his head, telling him to be strong, to be a fitting son, to relax and do what was necessary to survive. To… enjoy it.
    Dragging the old man Yoshinori, one hand around his mouth, the other his waist, Liu’s dark eyes gleamed with an almost evil light that chilled Kiyoshi. He