Utsushiyo Monogatari: Crimson Shadow

Chapter Fourteen: Death

"Onigami sama must be kidding," she uttered as she fidgeted uncomfortably in  her male disguise.

"I expected a graveyard...death aura and all but not this," Ryoku whispered to a Gu-in as their eyes widened in shock at the busy large pleasure house filled with women giggling seductively as men slowly viewed the human wares for sales. An entire live meat market laid open before them in its equally big posterity. Human depravity was at its finest as lewd remarks made at the wantonly flirtatious made up women with their darkened teeth, a beauty mark of the ruling empire. Voices of male and female in the throes of drunken orgy wafted in the polluted cesspool of rampant promiscuity and perversion. 

Gu-in shrugged her shoulders. Nothing could surprise her further now. Onigami was however late. The directions were no mistake as within the whole area emanated the largest concentration of yōki and jaki , almost like a lighted candle against all others which appeared dim in comparison. Even the graveyards were no competition. Even Ryoku's Kitsune were evading them. Multitudes of yōkai entering the neighbouring pleasure houses in their human form. Yurei, lined the streets, watching silently at their previous lives as the real humans walked through them, oblivious to their invisible translucent forms. Most were female, as Gu-in noticed. Some were holding a bundle closely as though it was a baby. Malevolence was in their eyes as they soughted human prey to drain.

"My dear sir, won't you come to my place," a sweet voice and an arm curled slowly around Ryoku's arm. Her black smile contrasted against the brightly painted red lips made him cringe with utmost restraint at the vulgarity of her display. Her ample bosom was almost overflowing in its glory. Before he could reply, the human quickly moved away to bow at another. Onigami had arrived in a discreet style to Ryoku's rescue with his entourage of four Oni in disguise as human servants. Behind them, a fine ox cart was slowly driven away.

Another dark wooden gate to the side was discreetly hidden among the withering wisteria and the evergreen plants with a young man in fine silk clothing scurrying out to greet him with a deep ingratiating bow. 

"Lord Nakatomi, our mistress... is waiting ....for you," he started to stutter as he realised his mistake. Faux pas. He should have not mentioned the customer's name. The poor man started to sweat nervously at Onigami's right hand which had slightly parted his robe slightly to reveal his the hilt of his sword sword. It was a warning of breaching an etiquette. Trembling, the young man kept his head down. 

"Do lead the way", one of the Oni servants answered politely as Onigami deliberately ignored the servant  and walked past him. 

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"My lord, we have fresh flowers," a strikingly beautiful woman sweetly greeted him prostrated in deference to the human position he held. The room was as large as a hall with vulgarly luxurious multi-paneled silk screen paintings of human perversion. The tied back crimson red silk red curtains gave it an aura of dark desirability. The opened window showed a view of the small courtyard garden away adjoining an alley way from the noisy main street. Ryoku and Gu-in looked at each other in quiet surprise. Autumn did not yield any fascinating flowers. Waving his hand to dismiss her, nothing was uttered but the Oni servant appeared behind the open door with a carefully wrapped bundle.

Keeping her eyes to the wooden floors, she moved backwards gracefully to the sliding doors and out of the room before sliding them close again. Her standing shadow moved away as he took a drink out of the fine sake.

"Ahhhhh...Kitsune, why do you have that priceless look on your face?" Onigami abruptly broke with his formal demeanour and stretched his hands as he made himself comfortable on the carefully laid out cushions on the large slightly raised canopy bed. Yakō was known for patronising such place . "If Gu-in had it, I would not be surprised. You...different...your kind feed off such places as you noticed in the crowd."