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    -35-

    Barbara Sheridan and Anne Cain
    body moved like never before—silent, powerful…deadly. Already, his thirst for more felt like it could never be sated.
    “Not like our Kiyoshi-kun.” Kuro’s smile faded. He turned back to the younger man as he withdrew his fingers from Kiyoshi’s mouth. He touched the young man’s cheek and frowned, as though examining a flaw in what would otherwise have been a flawless treasure. “You still have much to learn, little one. Much indeed.”
    Somewhere down the street, one of the villagers called out. Riders could be seen dotting the horizon, silhouetted by starlight as they cleared the crest near the village’s entrance. Kuro sucked in his breath and gripped Kiyoshi’s shoulder.
    “Nobunaga.” Kuro spoke the name with obvious loathing, adding sharply, “We must leave. Forget this pest-hole village—it should mean nothing to either of you now.”
    “I’ll find you a horse, Kuro-sama.” Liu darted down the street toward the village head’s stable.

    They rode all through the night and partway into the following day, until Kuro-sama slumped with exhaustion and discomfort from the sun.
    They found shelter in a small cave nestled deep in the mountains.
    Kiyoshi watched as Liu fell into sleep beside the strange samurai who pulled the younger man close.
    Cold, exhausted and feeling more alone than ever, Kiyoshi curled up on the improvised bed of dried grass and leaves and let the fog of sleep blanket his senses.

    -36-

    Blood Brothers

    “ Dai-dai , wake up.”
    Kiyoshi’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of his brother’s voice. Liu kneeled beside him, gently nudging his shoulder. “Wake up,” he insisted softly.
    “Was everything a dream?” Kiyoshi asked groggily. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with the flat of his palms and sat up slowly. Were they safely back in their father’s house in their poor village? For a moment, he almost believed it. One look at his surroundings and he realized everything had been real after all. Kuro…the killing… Kiyoshi’s stomach twisted.
    Nightfall blanketed the cave in almost total darkness. The light from the small lantern Liu held only brightened a small patch of the cave floor, now covered in a thick mist that edged in from the entrance. Here at the foot of the mountains, it seemed the heat of summer had vanished, replaced instead with a chill that worked its way into Kiyoshi’s bones. He shivered and Liu touched his cheek.
    “You’ve slept too long, that’s all,” Liu said with a smile. “Come join us and you’ll feel better.” He grabbed Kiyoshi’s hand and started to pull him up from the leaf-strewn floor.
    “ Ge-ge ,” Kiyoshi gasped as the lamplight illuminated a deep gash on his adopted brother’s throat. Dried blood caked the edges of the wound, and even the hem of Liu’s kimono was stained from the deep crimson liquid. Liu appeared so pale, drained of color the way Kiyoshi’s mother had looked the morning they found her lying in bed, her life taken from her by the same sickness that had claimed so many that year. But Liu had never fallen ill in all his life, and he certainly wasn’t sick now. Not the way his eyes glittered as he met Kiyoshi’s stare.
    “What has he done to you?” Kiyoshi whispered.
    -37-

    Barbara Sheridan and Anne Cain
    Liu touched his finger to Kiyoshi’s lips. “Come and see for yourself.”
    Liu led him through thick underbrush and into another cave where the samurai Kuro sat like the Emperor himself on a throne made of huge rocks. Behind him was a glowing orange fire that gave him the appearance of a fierce and powerful God. Kuro’s mouth and chin were stained with blood…Liu’s blood?
    “Such a smart boy,” Kuro said with a deep laugh that echoed through the small cave. He held out his hand to Kiyoshi. “We haven’t much time, little one. Nobunaga’s men may still be on our trail and I want you both to be strong enough to face them.”
    “Go to him, dai-dai