Wicked Yokai Prince

Meal

"You're running out of time, Jiro. In less than two years you'll turn into a beast."

Jiro growled, anger reverberated on his chest. "Not if I can help it."

The Faceless oni straightened its spine. "I came to find out you are hiding a secret. That girl you're holding in your manor is no spirit at all. That girl is human."

"All the more reason why I should take back what belongs to her. Rin is under my protection. No can touch her or steal from her without my permission."

Even with Jiro's reasoning, the oni refused. "Once I've taken my victim's face, their face is mine. Good luck making a human girl with no face fall in love with you." It took a long look at Jiro digesting more of his almost normal form and sneered disgusted.

"Then you give me no other choice but to kill you." Said Jiro.

*****

Shintaro could have made sure he knows the way to the village. He could recall the name of the village on the back of his mind. It's a small village tucked away in the country ran by a great lord named Jiro.

There were many tales about the great TENGU. Rumors of him being a beast and there's also rumors about him being cursed by the goddess of mercy and kindness. Shintaro don't know the truth of it all, he could care less, but he makes it a point to investigate.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Asked Rin her gait had been killing her. She's not used to walking, especially walking on wooden sandals. She could already feel her painful blisters about to pop.

Shintaro paused to scratch his chin and thought for a second. "Maybe we should turn around."

That is something she couldn't afford. "I must get back to him. It's a matter of emergency."

Shintaro waved his hand. "I know, I know. You need your face back."

"Not only that. I need to make sure the face stealer doesn't do anything funny."

Shintaro couldn't help the raise of his eyebrows, curious as a cat glaring at her. For the first time he wondered about the face that got stolen, how it looked like. He imagined many pretty faces before his eyes and tried to fit them on her.

Rin stared back at him through the mask. She could almost see what he's thinking. Does all men thinks like that?

He gave her and shrug and continued pacing forward. It's not of his business but, " you know you'd die if you stay here longer than you should, right?"

Rin made a noise of understanding. Nothing she can do when she's being held hostage and her face stolen.

"Don't you wanna go home?" Shintaro slid his eyes sideways trying to get a glimpse of the strange girl walking behind him.

It was a long story that Rin didn't have the energy to tell. She wondered if she tells him the truth, how Jiro scared her to eating spirit world food, would he send him to jail?

Rin recalled immediately that Jiro is the law in his village, retracting her tongue from confessing anything.

"I do want to go home. Just the other day, I tried to escape but failed miserably. The yokai tied to my spirit told me the realm of the spirit world prevented me from leaving."

Shintaro made a thoughtful sound. "That may not be a bad thing." He started. "I know it may seem like it but those occurrences are usually for protection. Something else might be holding you here in the spirit world that's why you couldn't leave." Something else Shintaro need to investigate about. His pile of investigations mounting on his shoulders. He stretched and thought about the last time he had a vacation.

He soon noticed the darkening sky. Shintaro inclined his head upwards. He could smell the mist in the forest thickening and felt the sprites waking up around them.

"Ummm, Rin-san." He really hate to break it to her but if they get stranded through the night without bringing her home in time, Shintaro doesn't really have a choice. "I think we're a little lost."

Rin figured that out a long time ago though her wits told her to keep following the spirit world investigator rather than having to find her way back home alone. She made a small sound letting him know she understood.

"If we can't find an inn or if I can't get you back to the manor," he sucked a deep breath. "That means we're going to have to sleep in the forest tonight."

She peered at his back wondering what he's trying to say.

Shintaro scratched his head hesitating and embarrassed. "I'm not a pervert or anything but it can be quite dangerous out here at night. Most demons are nocturnal and with you being human and all..."

Rin wished he would just spill it out.

He let out another long exhale. "You are in danger of becoming a meal to some demon."

A ripple of terror climbed from her heels to her head. Rin tried to shake it off and sped up closer to Shintaro so no one would snatch her while he has his back turned on her.

Shintaro felt her closer behind and tilted his head down, getting a glimpse of her slightly behind. It gave him a form of relief somehow. Maybe asking for permission to sleep beside her might not be too hard after all. It's not like he's doing it just because but it'll be easier if they were close to each other.

"We'll have to sleep together. It's better if I could feel your heat or I could feel you move, you know. That way, nothing gets pass me."

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Writer's Note:
But she only just met you Shin! 😝