CHAPTER FOURTEEN – Dragon's Plan, Horo's Revenge

Horo Horo slunk around at the walls of a building, bushes covering his whereabouts. He peeked over the window sill into the house, seeing his targets. He backed up slightly and jumped through, smashing the glass as screams rang out from the room's occupants.

"My, my…what a heartwarming scene." He smirked at the two kids staring at him in fear, the woman protectively hugging them close to her bosom, and the man moving in front of them.

"Get the hell out of my house." The man said. Horo frowned.

"So you don't enjoy having someone messing with your family? Neither do I. You picked the wrong family to mess with, Officer Sagara. You'll regret the day you ever took a shot at my Kitten." The officer's face suddenly shone with understanding and recognition.

"You remember now, don't you? The man you shot today. The truth is, you fucking police think you know everything, but you're clueless. I'm the one you were after when my Kitten was punished in that fucking asylum. If you had only stopped jumping to conclusions, the mental institute wouldn't have been massacred, and the school wouldn't have been massacred, and this wouldn't be happening. However, with your bullshitting brain, you decided to get yourself into MY business, and MY family. Kitten was my only family in the world, and you took him from me…now I'll take your family from you." He said with a grin. He jumped forward quickly, shoving the man against the stair railing and holding his wrists with one hand. He produced a length of rope in the other hand, and quickly had the man tied to the thick oak railing. Horo then turned his attention to the woman and children.

"Leave them alone!" Officer Sagara yelled in a panic.

"Quiet! I've no time to mess with you anymore. Your bitch looks lonely over there. I think she'd like some company. Besides, a guest should conform to accommodate his hosts, don't you agree?" He smiled sweetly and walked over to the woman, who stood in front of the children, defending them. He reached up and hand and grabbed her chin roughly, staring into her eyes.

"My, you are a pretty bitch, aren't you?" he whispered, turning to look at the man.

"You have good taste in women. However, she'd look so much better if she weren't a whore. There's no time for her to change that, now, so I suppose a slut must be treated as one, don't you think so?" he smiled evilly and brought the woman by her hair to the center of the room.

"Your husband might like to enjoy the show as well, huh? Well, let's not disappoint, shall we?" he shoved her onto the floor and leaned down, whispering loudly in her ear.

"You little fuck. I'm going to kill you, you fucking slut. You whore. You bitch." The woman was sobbing as he continued to degrade her whilst pulling her clothes off. He dug his nails into her back, scraping them down harshly.

He grabbed a bottle of wine from a nearby table and smashed it on her back, the glass sticking in her skin and the wine pouring around. He then took the neck of the bottle he held in his hand and shoved it into her, making her scream in pain. One hand kept busy moving the bottle around while the other took a knife from his pocket, carving into her back. Finally, he stopped, allowing the woman to collapse onto the floor with the bottle in her and her back bleeding profusely. The Ainu looked up at the broken man who was still tied to the railing.

"Now I've taken your wife, I'll leave you alone. Remember from now on…don't mess with others' families." He said, staring him square in the eye. Horo then stalked over to the two children who were crying in the corner, having witnessed that.

"Why are you doing this to us?" the older one cried, her big blue eyes staring up at him soulfully.

"Your father stole my Kitten from me, little girl. Until I get him back, he won't get you back. That is the punishment for such things." He said softly, holding out a hand.

"Now, come with me, and know that it was your father who sentenced your mother to death." He murmured, picking up the toddler boy and grabbing the wrist of the girl. Horo looked one last time at Officer Sagara.

"Don't feel alone. Every policeman who was in that room will cry tonight." He said, and left with the kids.

"Let us go, you monster!" a teenage boy shouted at Horo. The bluenette sighed and looked up from his book again. In his living room he had placed several cages which now housed the children of the policemen.

"Will you twats just shut the fuck up!" he yelled.

"Not until we're out of here." The boy replied. Horo smirked.

"That can be arranged." He said in a tone that meant they'd be going somewhere other than home. The Ainu gave them a moment to chew on his words before continuing.

"Now, you little heathens, be silent. I'm reading." He hissed.

"At least give us some food." A girl said. Horo looked up again and smiled.

"If you're hungry, there are plenty of people to eat. Go ahead." He said mockingly. She looked around at the other kids in her cage and shuddered at the thought. Horo returned to his book. When he had finished, he went to the kitchen, grabbing some food and taking it with him into the living room, where he proceeded to eat it in front of the starving kids, who groaned in hunger. He smiled at them and left the room again, going to his bedroom. On the bed, Ren lay, cold, white and motionless, just as he'd been left. Horo just smiled lovingly at him.

"You'll be okay, Ren. You'll get better." He whispered as he slipped under the covers with his dead lover and cuddled up.

"You're so cold. Oh, Renny, you're so very cold." He muttered and snuggled closer, hoping to warm him up.

Days passed and the police were searching to no avail. It seemed Horo and their children had just disappeared. The kids were weak and hungry, causing them to get into several fights while Horo simply continued to try and nurse Ren back to health, convinced he would be okay. Finally, with Dragon's constant nagging and Ren's cold, dead form, it dawned on him that he really had lost his love. He spent two days crying quietly, grieving and finding no comfort in Dragon's little attempts to cheer him up.

Horo sat silently on the bed, running a hand gently over Ren's cheek. He stood and lifted Ren with him, carrying him out of the room, passing through the kitchen, and feeling eyes on him as he drifted through the living room.

"Who is that?" one child asked.

"It's his lover, I'll bet. His precious 'Kitten'." Another replied. Horo ignored them and went through the door with carved dragons, closing it behind him. He took Ren through the caves and to a room filled with jars of preservatives and a table. He lay the younger on the table and rubbed some of the preserving oils into his skin. Then he lowered Ren into a big coffin-like structure.

He left and returned about half an hour later, rubbing the oils over himself and joining Ren in the coffin. He lay there, breathing quietly for a few minutes, looking at Ren.

"Well, Dragon, it's been fun, but there's nothing more to do." He said softly.

"I know. I guess I got to let go sometime. Let's join him, then." Dragon replied with acceptance.

"You're okay with this?" the Ainu asked.

"Ah. I'm doing this for you. Besides, there must be plenty of fun games in the afterlife." He snickered a little. Horo pulled out the knife he had used on Yuki. He hadn't used it since then. Now it would take his life. He laughed a little.

"You know, Ren said he'd died where it all began for him. Here I am dying where it all began for me." He whispered. Dragon stayed silent. Horo's hand trembled slightly.

"I can't do this, Dragon. I…Please help me." He whispered. Dragon nodded and took control of Horo's hand. Horo kissed Ren deeply as Dragon plunged the knife deep into his chest, piercing his heart.

"May the goddess guide and protect us." Dragon whispered.

"I love you, Ren. I'm coming." Horo said right after. And as his precious life flowed out, Horo smiled and closed his eyes, welcoming the deep darkness that embraced him.

Ren and I could never have been while life ran through our veins. Too much had happened too fast and our relationship couldn't have gone the slow and loving way I wanted it to when I first went after him. Now he lies dead in the coffin, and Dragon and I will soon join him. The children will be left where they are, for the police to find if they're fast enough. Dragon and I will soon explore the afterlife and all the games it has in store. For now, that is enough. Dragon once told me that the goddess guards the dead. This book is full of it. I leave it in her hands to look after from now on. My story and Ren's ends now…or perhaps, it's only beginning.

The archeologist closed the book, replacing it to its spot in the hands of a goddess statue. Tears were in her eyes as she finally knew the truth about the huge killing spree only six years ago. Her sister beside her also had tears in their eyes.

"Sister, perhaps we should leave. This place is a sanctuary for the dead. Let's have it remain that way." She said to the first. The other nodded.

"We'll leave this story in peace. Another archeologist can take this one." She smiled through her tears and the two of them left, telling their colleagues that the cave was a mere natural cave with nothing in it. The two girls left with a sense that they had done the right thing and were going to their home where they would be safe from petty troubles over caves. However, had they read the last page of Horo's journal, they would have known better. The very last page read:

Drakonis Meutrier, Drakonis Meutrier, Trepas a toute quelles derangent le pioncer de Drakonis Meutrier, Le deesse garde le sentier de le mort, lequel le loi de Drakonis Meutrier, Drakonis Meutrier

Meaning: Dragon Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Death to all who disturb the sleep of Dragon Slayer, The goddess guards the path of the dead, this the law of Dragon Slayer, Dragon Slayer

THE END (yes, of the whole story! dances)

Don't cry, though, there may be a sequal!